Trapped in Camelot
by LadyDunla
Summary: Lynn is your average twenty-first century girl, but after a nasty fall she finds herself falling through the past and into the body of Princess Alina - a woman on her way to marry the prince Arthur of legend. Decisions will be made, romance will blossom, and magic will rise; but one thing's for sure: this Camelot will not be the same as legend. Eventually Arthur/OC, Merlin/Morgana.
1. Chapter 1

**So, this is my first fanfiction ever. Time travel is not exactly a new concept, I know, but the story presented itself to me and I had to write it down and I hope I've managed to give it an original twist. I hope you will enjoy and please review it. I really like to know what you think.**

**Of course, I don't own Merlin or any of its characters, I only own the character of Lynn/Alina.**

_,,Take me back to the places I've never been_

_Take me back to another time_

_Take me back to a world I have never seen._

_Only in my mind.''_

**The Storyman, Chris de Burgh**

**Chapter 1.**

**Lynn**

The exam was an absolute and complete disaster. She knew it the moment she laid eyes on it. That feeling hadn't changed one bit now that she had handed it in and left the room.

'Oh, that was horrible!' exclaimed Sarah, one of her closest friends, who was walking next to her. 'I didn't remember any of it!'

Neither had Lynn, but she was in no mood to talk today. She was otherwise occupied. She already knew from experience that she had problems concentrating on anything when she had had one of those dreams again and today was no exception. Last night had even been more disturbing than before. Something about travelling, the threat of bandits and a lot of heavily armed men. She didn't recall all of it, but the dream had consisted mostly of fear and some strange hopeful expectation she couldn't understand.

She tried to shake it off. These were only dreams and nothing more. They were a nice distraction from her own life and they gave her something to think of. Most of the time it was like having a story only she knew about. But others wrote their stories down, but she dreamed hers.

Lynn had been having the dreams for as long as she could remember. It wouldn't happen every night, not even every week, but from time to time they came and she enjoyed it. When she dreamed she found herself looking through the eyes of a medieval princess, named Alina, daughter of an Irish king, whom she had 'known' since she was a little girl, but was now grown into a beautiful young woman, on her way to get married to some prince to seal some kind of treaty. By looking through her eyes Lynn had learned a great deal about the princess. Apart from being extremely beautiful (a fact of which she was well aware) the princess was not a nice person at all: she was spoiled, rude and, above all, she was the most selfish person Lynn had ever encountered. Lynn didn't even like her.

Yet now she was a little worried for the girl who had appeared in her dreams so often. The road ahead was a dangerous one, known for its many robberies and killings. There was a reason her escort was so heavily armed. Without enough protection, it was likely that she would get killed.

_Oh, stop it!_ she told herself. _Alina isn't even real, so get a grip!_

She wasn't entirely sure about that, though. The dreams were way too real, too vivid to be just called imagination. Besides, everything Lynn had sought out about the time that Alina should have lived, agreed with the things happening to and around the princess, even though she had no knowledge whatsoever of that time when she first started having the dreams. There was no logical explanation for that. It simply was.

'That last question was really difficult,' Sarah went on, not even noticing Lynn wasn't listening.

'Hmm,' said Lynn knowing that was all that was required of her in a conversation like this.

Her mind wandered off again, back to princess Alina, still a little worried about her. She really shouldn't be, she told herself again. On the off chance Alina was in some way a real person, she was more than capable of defending herself. She had been taking lessons in sword fighting since she was a child, but, what's more, she also possessed, something which made Lynn sometimes believe that it was nothing more than a fantasy after all, magic. And that was something that worried not only her, but the princess too. Because in the kingdom she was travelling to, magic was forbidden and she was afraid that if anyone found out, she would be executed immediately.

Lynn was still pondering that when the pain hit her by surprise. It felt like something hit her head with a lot of force from behind, even when there was nothing there.

'Ow!' she called out, fighting to keep her balance, a fight she was doomed to lose. The stairs before her moved up to meet her and she knew that she was falling, whilst at the same time, she didn't fall at all.

It was like seeing two different realities at the same time. In the first, she was falling down the stairs. In the second, however, she was sitting on a horse, in the middle of a bloody fight. Bandits, she realized. The bandits Alina feared so much, she understood only a second later. The moments she realized where she was, she began to fight her way back to the first reality, trying to shut the second one out, knowing that was a place she didn't want to be right now.

She concentrated on Sarah's panicking voice, but it all slipped away from her, no matter what she tried. It was like trying to hold water in your hands. No matter how hard you tried, eventually it would slip through your fingers.

Before she really grasped what happened to her, the university and her friend had disappeared and she was back on the horse, with the fight going on all around her and her head hurting like someone was practicing his drumming on it. Someone might have done exactly that a few moments earlier.

Lynn had to struggle to remain conscious, a fight she didn't seem to be winning either. She felt dizzy and the fact that her surroundings seemed to move also was not a good sign. And when her horse reared up, frightened by all the fighting that was going on, she simply couldn't hold on.

'Princess Alina!' someone yelled at her.

She saw him the moment after he shouted: a tall young man with blond hair, who looked vaguely familiar. He looked at her with a shocked expression. Scared for her? There was no need for that, surely, she thought right before she hit the ground. A scream escaped her lips. It wasn't just her head hurting anymore, she simply ached all over now and her consciousness rapidly slipped away from her.

'Alina!' The young man called out.

Her vision was already turning vague and dark at the corners.

'My name's Lynn,' she muttered, even though no one heard.

The man kneeled down next to her. 'Alina, can you hear me?' His face hovered just inches above hers.

She then remembered what she knew him from and who he was. 'Arthur Pendragon,' she whispered and then the blackness took his face as well.

**Merlin**

'How badly is she hurt, Gaius?'

'I can't tell you, sire,' the old physician told the worried prince. 'We will have to wait for her to wake up. Her injuries are not too serious, but she suffered a blow to the head, which can have all kinds of consequences.'

The prince did not seem at all pleased with this answer. 'What consequences?' he demanded.

'Loss of memory, disorientation amongst others.'

This didn't do much to improve his mood. 'How long before she wakes?'

'I can't tell you, sire,' Gaius repeated. 'Though I expect her to come round soon.'

Merlin watched his boss eyeing the unconscious princess in a way that was almost suspecting, but not quite. 'I suppose I will have to wait then,' he said. To Merlin's great surprise Arthur sat himself down on a chair near the bed. He never believed Arthur would have the patience to wait at a sickbed.

'Of course, sire,' said Gaius. 'I'll have to inform your father about her condition, but if there's anything you need…?'

'I have Merlin,' Arthur said.

Merlin rolled his eyes.

Gaius bowed and left the room and Merlin, deciding there was, for a change, not much that he could do, also sat down. For some time they sat together in perfect silence. Arthur was still looking at the girl's face while Merlin tried to recall what Gaius had told him about her.

'_What is she like, Gaius?' he had asked one evening when they had their supper, both of them tired after a hard day's work. 'The princess Arthur's to marry?'_

_Gaius swallowed his chicken before he answered: 'Princess Alina is probably one of the most beautiful women in the known lands: fair haired, green eyes, pale skin,' he described._

'_Is she nice, like Morgana?'_

'_Nice?' repeated Gaius. 'I wouldn't say so. The last time I met her, she was rude and very ill-tempered.'_

_Merlin chuckled. 'They're well matched then.'_

'_Merlin!'_

'_It's true, you know it is.'_

_Gaius decided it was much wiser to drop the subject and after that they talked of the preparations and Gaius' medicines._

The girl didn't show any signs of rudeness now. Merlin could only pity her. She was not yet aware of the fact that she was the sole survivor of her party. Everyone else, her father, the guards, the servants, had been slaughtered by the bandits that had attacked them. The patrol from Camelot had come just a little too late to save them. They had only been able to get to the princess before someone could finish her off.

Merlin could only imagine how hard it would be on her to wake up and find out that all the people she had been travelling with for so many weeks, were gone. Surely even an apparently rude and ill-tempered girl like Alina could not possibly be unmoved by that.

Arthur still stared at the girl, his expression serious, an expression not often seen on him.

'You should get some rest,' Merlin said.

'I'll wait.'

'So,' Merlin began, a teasing smile forming on his face. 'You actually do like her?'

'Shut up, Merlin.'

'You don't like her, then?'

'What part of _shut up_ did you not understand, Merlin?' The prince sounded a little annoyed now.

'You're worried for her!' Merlin understood.

'Don't be ridiculous, Merlin.' It was in fact quite funny to see how Arthur tried to dodge the questions, but Merlin could tell that Arthur cared. Gaius told him that Arthur knew Alina since they were both children and that they did get along well together, from time to time.

'She'll be fine, Arthur,' he said, wishing to comfort him.

Arthur snorted. 'And how come you're so certain?'

'I hit my head so many times,' he answered, not even lying.

'And just look how you've turned out,' Arthur commented dryly.

'Why are you worrying so much?' Merlin asked, serious again.

Arthur didn't answer immediately. Merlin already thought he wasn't going to say anything, when he spoke: 'I'm not sure,' the prince said, hesitating. 'There was a moment, just before she got hit, that she looked at me and she smiled. And when that man knocked the back of his sword to her head, I… I could swear I saw her eyes change colour.'

Merlin tensed, for he knew only one reason why such things happened and in Camelot that wasn't a good thing. 'Are you sure?' he asked. 'Maybe it was just the way the light fell on her face.'

'Unlike you, Merlin, there is nothing wrong with my sight,' Arthur snapped at him. 'I know what I saw. Her eyes used to be green, but now…? First her eyes turned gold and then all of a sudden they were blue.'

There was no doubt left in Merlin's mind. Arthur might not know what it all meant, but his servant most certainly did. Princess Alina had magical powers and Merlin couldn't think of one reason why her coming to Camelot should mean well for the kingdom.

'You definitely drank too much wine,' he said, to distract Arthur's mind from the dangerous subject.

It worked. 'I did not!' he protested in a loud voice.

His loud denial woke the girl in the bed. 'Aah,' she moaned, moving restlessly.

They forgot about their argument immediately.

'Princess Alina, can you hear me?' Arthur asked, bending over.

'Aah,' she moaned again.

Her eyes opened. They were of a blue so bright as Merlin had never seen before. Merlin then remembered Gaius saying that the princess' eyes had been green. A shiver went down his spine. Something wasn't right here, he just couldn't put his finger on it.

'Where am I?' she asked in a panicked voice.

'You're safe, my lady,' answered Arthur. 'You're in Camelot. Everything is going to be all right.'

_Apart from the fact that your father and everyone else is dead_, Merlin thought.

'Camelot?' she repeated.

'That's right.'

She thought about that for a moment and then said: 'I'm dreaming again, am I not?'

'You are not, my lady,' Arthur answered. 'We rescued you from the bandits that attacked you, don't you remember?'

She thought hard. 'I don't… remember… _anything_.' That realization filled her eyes with something more than just panic. She was truly terrified.

Merlin couldn't bring himself to be suspicious of the girl in that moment. All he saw was a frightened young woman and whatever her reason was for coming to Camelot, she clearly didn't remember it anymore. She was just like any other girl who would get knocked out and wake up in a place she didn't recognize.

'It's alright, my lady,' Arthur said. 'You are safe here. I'm sure that your memory will return once you've rested. You need to sleep some more,' he added, trying to sound like he knew what he was talking about, with _trying_ being the operative word.

'Sleep,' she whispered.

'Everything is going to be fine,' Merlin said.

She looked at him for the first time. For a second Merlin thought he saw recognition in her eyes, but it might have been imagination, because the next moment her expression was one of confusion, what was only to be expected. Besides, there was no way she would recognize him. They never met before.

'This is my servant, Merlin,' Arthur introduced.

She nodded. 'Pleased to meet you,' she said, not sounding pleased, only confused.

'Everything is going to be fine,' he repeated. 'You can sleep here. No one will harm you.' He smiled reassuring at her and after some hesitation, she smiled back, which made her look very sweet, not at all like the spoiled princess Gaius had led him to believe she was.

'Thank you,' she whispered.

He smiled again. 'We will let you sleep.' He beckoned to Arthur to get up and leave the room. The prince stared back at him with an expression of surprise and anger at being told what to do by his servant, but he did not protest, for which Merlin was grateful.

They got up and left the room. The princess was asleep before the door had been closed behind them.

**So, that's the first chapter. I hope you liked it. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, here's the next chapter. It's not as much as the first one, but I have an exam coming up and I do not have much time. Next time there will be more hopefully! I hope you all enjoy it and please review! **

**Disclaimer: Again, I do not own Merlin, sadly the BBC does. Only the character of Lynn/Alina is mine. **

Chapter 2

**Merlin**

'She has magic.' Merlin burst into the room, startling Gaius.

The physician looked up from whatever he was doing. 'Who has?'

Merlin closed the door behind him. 'Princess Alina.'

'I don't believe it,' he said. 'I've known her for years.'

'Arthur still hasn't noticed it about me either,' Merlin said shrugging. He sat down and explained to Gaius what had happened in Alina's room only a few minutes ago. He also told him what Arthur had seen.

'Does he know?' Gaius asked.

Merlin shook his head. 'I don't think so. He doesn't understand it, of course. He would not recognize magic if it was standing right in front of him. He obviously hasn't.' He got up and started pacing around the room. 'But what could she possibly want here? From what you said I'd say she would use her magic to bring harm to Camelot, but now that I've seen her, I'm not so sure anymore. You should have seen her, Gaius, all fragile and scared. She doesn't remember anything of what has happened.'

'Her memory will come back, though,' Gaius said. 'Eventually she will remember. You'll need to find out what she is doing here.'

'You want me to search her things?'

Gaius nodded.

'Oh, no!' Merlin exclaimed. 'I can't do that! I'm not even supposed to be in there. Arthur will have my head if he finds me in her room!'

'Best not to be seen then.'

**Lynn**

Lynn did not know exactly where she expected to be when she woke up again. Perhaps the hospital. That was the most likely place to be after all. She had fallen down the stairs, which could have caused all kinds of injuries. Or perhaps she would find herself still lying on the floor, having been out for only minutes, the ambulance not yet arrived. The last place she expected to find herself was in Camelot, but when she woke again, that was where she was.

Panic started to set in once she realized she was nowhere near home, hospital or the university. She tried to calm herself. This had happened before. It was nothing to be afraid of. Sometimes she would find herself not just looking through Alina's eyes, she would live her life, just for a short while. Mostly her control over Alina's body lasted no more than a few minutes, but it had happened three or four times that she was stuck that way for a couple of hours. This time was like those. She needn't panic, because in a few hours everything would get back to normal.

There was however, a small difference from those earlier times, because then Alina herself had been always there, completely aware of what happened and most certainly not amused. She had been fighting hard to regain control and Lynn had happily let her win that fight. She had no ambition whatsoever to be in someone else's body.

There was no Alina now. If she would have been there, Lynn assumed she would have heard from her by now and this worried her more than she dared to admit, even to herself. What if there was no way out this time? What if she was stuck like this for the rest of her life? Her breath sped up as the panic returned.

How could she survive in this place? Alina had possessed magic, so Lynn supposed she had it now. That alone was enough to get her killed. She really didn't need any problems with missing memories, gaps in her knowledge about this time and its customs and an upcoming marriage to a man she hardly knew on top of that.

She corrected herself on the last point. Because she did know the man she, or rather, Alina, was to marry. Only, he was not supposed to be real. He should only exist on a television screen and most definitely not in real life, and the same was true for Merlin. Maybe she had gone mad because of the blow to her head (which still felt like someone was tap-dancing on top of it). Maybe she had been watching the series too often, so now her mind wove its own fantasies around it. That thought was in a strange way reassuring, because it meant that she was not really here.

Now that she calmed down a little, she started to notice her surroundings a bit more. With her eyes still closed she listened to the noises in the castle. Outside someone was yelling angry at a boy who apparently had spilled some water over him, in the room next to hers a woman was singing loudly. And then there was another noise, in her room. There was someone in it besides her.

Not feeling quite comfortable with the idea of someone she didn't know so close to her with her eyes closed, she opened them. It was not hard to see where the intruder was. On the other side of the room, near the window, where Alina's suitcases and other belongings stood, was a young man with dark hair. He had not seen that she had woken up. He was too busy searching the contents of the bags.

'Who are you?' she asked.

The young man turned around, one of her shoes still in his hands. 'Princess Alina!'

'Merlin?' she said surprised. 'What are you doing?'

'I… ehm… I am… unpacking.'

'I may have hurt my head, but I'm not stupid, Merlin,' Lynn said. 'I really hate it when people are not being honest with me.'

'I really am unpacking.'

She looked at the mess around him. 'Throwing my dresses on the floor is called unpacking?'

He at least had the decency to look a little guilty. 'Well… you just wait till I'm done. It'll be cleaner than you've ever seen in your life.'

She had to laugh at that bold claim. She couldn't help it. 'I seriously doubt that,' she said. 'Besides, I would think that most people will think it inappropriate when a male servant unpacks the baggage of a lady, while the lady herself is asleep in the room.' She sighed, getting serious again. 'What were you doing here? _Really_ doing here?' she added.

'Ehm…'

'Let's pose this question differently,' she proposed when he remained silent. 'Why were you searching my things?'

**Merlin**

Merlin could not think of one answer that would satisfy her and was not the truth. So he kept his silence, looking nervously at his shoes.

'Is this you trying to say that you have no idea why you were going through my things like a hurricane?'

'It's difficult to explain,' he said, hesitating.

'Try.'

'I might shock you,' he said. 'And you are not yet fully recovered.'

He needed time to come up with a good explanation and for that he needed time. He remembered the magic book he had found in her belongings. And it was a fact that most sorcerers that came to Camelot did not mean well to the royal family or the kingdom in general. Yet he didn't want to judge her right away. She seemed to be a very nice girl.

She laughed. It lighted up her face. 'I assure you, you'll find it very hard to shock me.'

'I do not know how to tell you…'

'You could start by just beginning instead of continue to say you do not know how to, or saying you're afraid you'll scare me,' she said and then chuckled, as if all of this was in some way funny to her.

Before he could think it over again, he decided to go for the truth. 'I thought you might have magic. I came looking for evidence.'

She was right about one thing: she was not in the least bit alarmed by his confession. Quite the contrary. 'And did you have any luck finding some?' she asked in an interesting tone, the tone most people use when they are asking about the weather.

Lying was no longer an option now. 'I did.' He reached for the book and showed it to her.

She still appeared to be very relaxed. 'What are you going to do with it?' she asked.

'That depends on you.'

'On me?'

'What are you doing here in Camelot?' he asked. 'Why did you come?'

Her answer completely surprised him. 'I didn't. Or, at least, I didn't choose to come here. And I do not intend to stay for very much longer.'

'You are hurt,' he said. 'Where could you possibly go?'

'Home, of course.'

'Where is home? Ireland?'

She thought very hard again and then seemed to make a decision. 'I think I can trust you,' she said. 'I trust you not to repeat a word of what I'm going to tell you to anyone.' She looked him straight in the eyes.

The words left his mouth before he thought about them. 'You can. Trust me, I mean.'

There was a faint hint of a smile on her face then. 'I know that. And as for the question of my

home, I think you're not supposed to ask where it is, but when it is.'

He tried to grasp the meaning of these words. 'You… eh… what?'

'I'm from the twenty-first century, Merlin.'

**Look, there's a nice blue button below. I would really like it if you used it to review the story!**


	3. Chapter 3

**And here's chapter 3, longer than chapter 2, just as promised. Enjoy and please review!**

**Disclaimer: The BBC owns Merlin, I don't. Only the character of Lynn/Alina belongs to me. (Does nobody ever get tired of having to write/read this every chapter again?)**

Chapter 3

**Lynn**

It was a relief to confess that to someone. Besides, if there was anyone who was going to believe her in this crazy place, it would most likely be Merlin. The little she had seen of him up till now was enough to let her believe the real Merlin was not very different from the character from the series.

He stared at her, trying to understand what she just told him. Well, it was a lot to take in, she supposed and so she gave him time.

'Twenty-first?' he finally asked.

'Twenty-first,' she confirmed.

'Then how…?' He was not yet fully recovered from the mental blow she dealt him.

'Alina got hit,' Lynn explained. 'That's what usually brings it on.'

'Usually?'

She decided to save herself some time and explained it all at once. Him repeating every last word of every sentence she spoke was bound to be very annoying at some point. So she told him everything: the dreams about Alina's life, the brief moments of control she had had over the years, usually brought on when Alina hit her head, lasting till the moment the princess had fought her way back or until she hit her head again, thus literally knocking her out of her body.

Merlin remained very silent while she was talking. When she finally was done he looked at her with an expression she didn't entirely understand. There was confusion, admiration and a little fear.

'You're not her then?' he asked.

'Fortunate for me, I'm not.' She then added a joke, hoping it would lighten the situation. 'Obviously, I'd say. To be quite honest, I'd like to think I'm a lot nicer to be around.'

It worked, because he laughed. 'She isn't nice?'

'Oh no. Well, she can be, if she feels like it. I, of course, would not want to poison you against her. You best see for yourself when she returns.' _If she returns_, a voice in the back of her head added.

_Shut up_, she thought at it. She didn't dare to think about the possibility of not going back to her own time. She had to. She had done it every time. This time would be no different. _But if this is supposed to be no different from before, then where is Alina?_ the voice asked.

'You're sure she will return, then?' asked Merlin.

Had he seen something of her doubt? Well, it was best to be honest with him. 'She has to,' she answered. 'She always has.'

'So, you're not sure,' he observed.

'Not completely,' she confessed. 'I mean, she's done it all the times it happened, but then… I know this is going to sound crazy, but all those time she was still there, like an angry voice in the back of my head, or maybe I should say _her head_. Anyway, she always was there, struggling to get me out. But I can't find her anywhere now. So… I'm wondering if that is because she isn't here…'

'Because she is not coming back this time,' he finished for her, so she wasn't forced to say it herself.

The effect was still the same, though. Hearing these words aloud made the possibility real and more likely with every passing second. The tears where there before she could stop them and then she cried, as any frightened girl might have done when she had to face what Lynn had to face then.

'I'm sure you're going to be fine,' Merlin said, trying to comfort her. She appreciated it, but it didn't stop the tears from coming.

Merlin clearly was not comfortable with being in the room with a crying girl. He waved his hands around, hesitating, not really sure if it was appropriate to hug her or if that was what she even needed. Lynn didn't care for all of that. All she knew was that she needed a shoulder to cry on, so she took the decision out of his hands and hugged him. He hugged her back.

'You're going to be fine,' he repeated.

'How can you be so sure about that?' Lynn asked in a hard voice. 'I'm trapped here, with no means of getting back home, about to get married to someone I've only just met. How on earth can I be _fine_?'

'You do remember something then?' Merlin said.

'I beg your pardon?'

'You know about the wedding.'

'I only know what I dreamt, nothing more. I think it's safer for now to pretend I don't remember anything,' she said.

'You're right,' Merlin agreed. 'Because if Uther finds out…'

'He'll have me executed,' Lynn finished. 'You will keep my secret then?'

'Which one? You being from the future or you having magic?'

She snorted. 'Keeping both doesn't sound like a bad idea, does it?'

She felt better now, almost accepting what had happened to her. Lynn just wasn't the kind of person who kept lingering on things she couldn't change. It was best to accept them and it looked as if this was one of those occasions where she could not change a thing. She was going to make the best of it, she promised herself.

'I have to go,' Merlin announced. 'Arthur is going to kill me if he finds me here.'

'We wouldn't want that to happen,' Lynn agreed. 'Because who would be saving his lazy backside then?' She realized she said something she should not have said the moment the words left her mouth.

'I'm sorry? How do you know…?'

'Well, ehm, that's a long story and to be quite honest, I don't know if you're ready to hear it just yet. I've shocked you enough for one day, haven't I?'

'Next time?'

'Next time,' she promised. 'If you promise to help me figure out what to do with this whole magic-thing.'

'That's a deal,' he said.

'You have to go,' she reminded him.

He stood up and went for the door. But just before leaving, he turned around, asking: 'Is Alina your real name, where you come from?'

'It's Lynn,' she answered, surprised he asked about it. 'But you had best call me Alina around here.'

He nodded and left.

**Arthur**

Prince Arthur Pendragon had a very special gift. He was the most annoying man in Camelot, or so all the servants thought. Even though this might be very true on some occasions, underneath all that, he was actually quite a nice guy. He was genuinely worried about Alina. He knew from experience how much such a fall could hurt and he felt sorry for her.

But he wasn't stupid either, no matter what Merlin said. He had _not_ drunk too much wine. There had most definitely something a change in Alina's eyes. One moment she was the princess he had known for years, but after that flash of gold, not only her eyes had changed colour, her entire attitude had changed.

Maybe it was imagination, he had told himself, but when she woke, her eyes were still blue. And that was no imagination. That was magic surely.

He stopped there. Magic? Alina? Oh _please_! He had known the girl for years! If she possessed magic, he'd have noticed by now. He wasn't stupid after all. Besides, he thought, this had happened earlier, it could be completely natural. Maybe he should ask Gaius about it.

_It was more than ten years ago and they had both been children. Alina had visited Camelot with her father and brother. Alina and he had spent most of their time running around the castle, going on adventures and getting into all kinds of trouble. Her two year older brother Connor had thought himself above such childlike games, so they went off together. _

_On one of those days Alina tripped and fell. Arthur stopped and asked her if she was all right._

'_Ow, my head,' she said._

'_You're right, Alina?'_

_She looked up at him then, eyes as blue as the summer sky. That took him by surprise. He could have sworn her eyes were green. He paid it no mind. He could have been wrong about the colour._

'_I'm fine,' she said. 'And my name's Lynn.'_

'_No, it's not,' he disagreed. 'Your name is Alina.'_

_She shook her head. 'It's Lynn,' she insisted._

_Assuming it was just one of those games little girls liked to play, he let it pass. 'Whatever you want,' he said impatiently. 'Can we just go now?'_

'_Boys,' she muttered under her breath, but she picked up her skirts and ran after him._

_They had had a very pleasant afternoon. He called her Lynn all the time, occasionally teasing her by threatening to tell her father that she had changed her name. She couldn't care less. _

_When they returned to the castle for dinner she tripped again and hit her head pretty hard. _

'_Ow!' she called out._

'_You all right, Lynn?' he asked, getting a little used to calling her by that name now._

'_Stop that!' she snapped. 'It's Alina.'_

'_But you said…,' he said, confused as to what she wanted._

'_Forget it! It was only a game.'_

'_You just said it wasn't.'_

_She could not come up with a good answer to that, so she just said 'Boys!' in a way that made him feel like he was the stupidest person in all the world, something he had not felt since._

_He noticed something else. 'Your eyes are green again.'_

'_They have always been green.' She sounded angry, but scared too._

_But he was certain of it now. 'Have not.'_

'_Have.' After saying that she picked up her skirt and marched (there was no other word for it) back to the castle._

He was on his way to her room now. She needed to hear what had become of the rest of her party. Gaius said she had a good night's sleep and that her head was also better. She needed to be told. It was cruel to keep it any longer from her.

When he entered the room, she was not in bed. Instead she stood at the window, looking out over the courtyard. Her long hair hung down in one simple braid, almost down to her waist. Standing there, she took his breath away. She had truly become one of the greatest beauties in the past few years.

He cleared his throat. 'Lady Alina?'

She turned around. 'Good morning to you, prince Arthur,' she replied, making a curtsy. 'I trust you slept well?'

That blow to the head had done her well, Arthur remarked to himself. She was a great deal more polite than she was before, even though her eyes were still blue.

'Prince Arthur?' she asked when he did not answer.

'I did, my lady,' he said. 'I heard you are feeling better?'

'I was in very capable hands,' she said. 'Gaius is a good physician. Your father must be glad to have him.'

Oh yes, there was definitely improvement in her character. He hoped it would last.

'He is, my lady. Has your memory come back to you?'

She smiled a sad smile. 'Unfortunately not. Gaius says that it may take a while.' She bit her lip. 'He also says there is a possibility of it never coming back.'

He didn't know what to say. Comforting people, women especially, had never been his strong point.

She smiled again. 'We will just have to wait and see. Well, I'd like to believe you only came here to inquire after my health, but that look on your face tells me that is not the case. So why don't you have a seat?'

She seemed to be in high spirits. Arthur felt guilty, because he would be the one to put an end to her good mood in about a minute.

'What brings you to this dark corner?' she asked lightly when they both sat.

He hesitated for a moment there, not sure how to begin this. 'What's the last thing you remember?' he started.

She looked thoughtful. 'I remember getting hit, I think. There was a lot of noise, a lot of people and a lot of fighting. I remember you, calling out my name. I must have fallen by that time, but I don't remember that clearly. Shortly after that I lost consciousness and when I woke I was in this room.'

'That is all?'

'I'm afraid so. Prince Arthur, can you tell me what's going on? I feel like I'm missing the point of this conversation.'

'Do you remember nothing else?' he pressed.

She shook her head. 'Perhaps if you told me what you wanted to know I could focus and maybe remember something…,' she said doubtful.

'It's just…' He took a deep breath and then just told her. 'You are the only survivor of the attack. Everyone else is dead, including your father.'

She was stunned. She only looked at him, face blank. He had no idea what was going on inside her head.

'Are you all right?'

She got up, no longer confused, but angered by his question. 'All right?' she echoed. 'Good heavens, prince Arthur, is there any particular reason why I should be? My father is killed in a fight and I. Don't. Even. Remember. Him!' She was yelling by then.

'I'm sure you will in time,' he said.

'You don't get it, do you?' Tears were in her eyes. That didn't stop her from screaming at him, though. 'I'm supposed to be mourning him and I can't! For all I know I've never even met him!'

'If that's the case, then why are you crying?'

'Get out,' she said in a tone that would freeze the room, if that had been possible.

'What?'

'Get. Out,' she repeated.

'Of course, my lady,' he said. He bowed and left the room. He heard her cry when he walked away. 'That went well,' he told himself.

**I hope you liked it. So, if you did, or if you didn't, please use that beautiful blue button to review. Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**So, here it is. Enjoy and PLEASE review!**

**Disclaimer: Oh, guess what? I still don't own Merlin! Only Lynn/Alina is mine.**

Chapter 4

**Merlin**

The princess was pacing restlessly around the room when Merlin came in that evening. It was obvious that her day was every bit as bad as his had been. Arthur had him running around all day and on top of that, the prince's mood had been very bad. The total count of things thrown at his head that day consisted of three goblets, one helmet, four apples, one sausage and a pair of socks. It must be some kind of record.

'Merlin!' she called out. 'Finally! I've been waiting for you all day!'

'Arthur had me running around the castle for most of the day, and then Gaius had me mobbing his floor,' he explained.

'That sounds like Arthur,' she replied dryly.

'Arthur said he told you about your father, or, well…'

'Alina's father,' she finished. 'I know. It's all rather confusing, isn't it?' She sighed.

He nodded. 'It sure is. Arthur also mentioned you got mad at him.'

She blushed. 'I may have, but he was such an ass! I really couldn't help myself. He understands nothing!'

'I'm not so certain about that,' Merlin said, remembering the conversation at her bedside. 'He noticed your eyes changing colour.'

'My eyes changing colour?' she echoed.

'Have you looked in the mirror yet?'

'No, I haven't. Is there any reason why I should?'

'I think so.'

She walked up to the covered mirror on the wall and removed the sheet covering it. Merlin saw her watching herself, touching her face. 'I still look like me, kind of,' she said, wonder in her voice. 'The person I was back home.'

'You never noticed that before?' Merlin asked. If she had been dreaming so much, you'd say she would have found out that much.

'Of course not,' she answered. 'I was always looking through her eyes, so I never got to see her face. Hmm, I think she's taller than I was, but not much. I don't see what you mean by saying my eyes have changed, though, Merlin. They look the same as they always did.'

'I was told that the princess' eyes were green.'

She thought about that. 'Of course,' she whispered. 'Don't you know the saying that _eyes are the mirror of the soul_?'

He nodded, understanding what she was trying to explain. 'You mean to say that because the soul has changed…'

'So have the eyes. Yes, I think so. That would make sense, unlike all the rest that has happened to me.' She took a deep breath. 'Right. It is starting to look like I'm really not going back home, or it would have happened by now. So, that means I really need some answers. And I think I know where I can get them.' She looked at him intensely.

'Me?' he exclaimed. 'I don't know anything about this!'

She laughed. 'Don't worry. I didn't mean you. I was thinking more of someone you know.'

'Gaius? I'm not exactly sure if he knows about this kind of thing either.'

'I wasn't talking about Gaius.' She gave him another intense look. 'I was more thinking about another of your acquaintances, actually. You know him as the Great Dragon, right?'

His first impulse was to deny it. 'I've never heard of a dragon. Well, _of course_, I have heard of him, but I've never met him and I wouldn't know why you think that I do and…'

She raised her hand and he fell silent. 'Look, Merlin, if I promise you to be honest with you, would you do me the same courtesy?'

'I am,' he said immediately. 'Telling the truth, I mean.'

'No, you're not,' she said decisively. 'I _know_ you know him, Merlin. There is no point in denying the facts.'

'You. Know,' he repeated.

She nodded. 'So, will you please take me to meet him?' she begged. 'If there's anyone who can tell me what on earth is going on here, it's bound to be him.'

'How come you know so much about… well, everyone here?'

She bit her lip. 'Shall I tell you on the way down? That is, if you want to introduce me. I have a feeling that if I went alone I might as well end up burned, and I have no ambition to get myself cooked.'

Merlin had to laugh at the picture forming in his head. 'No, that would not do at all. I'll introduce you. But I have to warn you, he can be very cryptic.'

'Trust me, I know.'

'I'm curious, how much do you know?'

'Pretty much, I think. I know that you have magic for example, although I think yours is stronger than mine.' She delivered that line like she was remarking on how nice the weather had been lately.

His heart stopped. 'You know?'

'Merlin, I'm not like Arthur,' she reminded him. 'Unlike his royal pratness, I do actually have a brain. I even use it every now and then,' she joked. She did not seem to care about him having magical powers, which came as a surprise.

'So you don't think I'm bad or a monster or anything like that?'

'If I thought that about you, I should be thinking it about myself as well. And that I'd rather not do.'

'You… you…'

'Oh, I've shocked you, haven't I? I'm sorry, Merlin. Shall we go?'

He nodded and for a while they walked in silence. 'So, how is it that you know so much? Can't have been just the dreams, seeing as you know about me.'

'Legend,' she explained.

'Legend?' he echoed.

She looked at his face and then started laughing. 'Oh dear, look at your face!' she chuckled.

'There are legends about all this?'

She nodded. 'And quite a lot at that. Oh, come on, Merlin, we both know Arthur is destined to be the greatest king that ever lived and you don't believe that the stories about the greatest king will not survive the ages?'

Well, if you looked at it that way, it did make sense. He had just never realized before that their tale would survive for so many centuries.

He thought of something then. 'You are meant to marry Arthur. Are you in the legend?'

The smile disappeared from her face. 'No,' she admitted. 'And I'm a bit worried about that, because I don't want to mess up the legend. So hopefully your dragon will have some answers for me.'

They were close to the dungeons now and Merlin told her that it would be best to be silent, pointing at the guards who were sitting there, blocking their entrance, but looking very bored.

'What will you do?' Alina whispered.

'Wait and see.'

Merlin's eyes flashed gold and somewhere nearby something was heard crashing to the ground. That woke the guards up. They were standing on their feet in no time at all, looking suspiciously at some point they couldn't see. Merlin's eyes flashed again and there came a lot of noise again. The guards decided they could not stay where they were, so they went investigating. As soon as they were out of sight, they ran.

**Lynn**

'Well, that confirmed another thing from the legend,' Lynn said, panting, when they were in the dark corridor that led to the dragon's den.

'What may that be?' Merlin asked, lighting the torch with magic.

'You have to teach me how to that,' Lynn said before answering the question. 'The guards of Camelot are every bit as stupid as I always believed they were. Look at how easily we could get past them. It looks like having a brain is not necessary to become guard.'

Merlin grinned.

'Is it always this easy?' she asked.

'Most of the time,' he said. 'The real problem is coming up with something new every time so they don't get suspicious.'

'I always believed getting suspicious required having a brain,' she joked. It was truly remarkable how soon she was making jokes of the whole situation, behaving as if she belonged here. While this was probably a good thing, it also gave her an uneasy feeling. Was she forgetting her home and her family so soon? 'Never mind. Let's go.'

Lynn used to afraid of dark places, especially if she was in a dark place she didn't know. She was not afraid now. Even though it was her first time here, it was also the thousandth. She had seen this corridor so often on the television screen and she could hardly believe how alike they were.

'Can't tell you how weird this feels,' she told Merlin. 'I'm literally walking in the legend.'

The dragon's den appeared to be empty, but Lynn knew better. He was here. He had to be.

'Hello?' Merlin bellowed, his voice echoing back at them several times.

What happened next gave her a good fright, even though she knew what was going to happen. The Great Dragon seemed to appear out of nowhere before settling down on the enormous rock she had seen so often.

'Young warlock,' he said to Merlin. 'Why have you come?'

'I'd like to introduce the Lady Lynn,' Merlin answered.

The dragon's eyes now settled on her and Lynn started to feel a little uncomfortable as more time passed and he did not speak. Was she supposed to say something or should she wait? In the end she decided to make a curtsy and say: 'It's a pleasure to meet you, sir.'

'You are very small, young sorceress,' the dragon said.

'Ehm… I don't think so,' she said. 'I'm taller than I was.'

This made him laugh and this triggered her anger. 'I've come here to ask you some questions,' she continued. It looked like a better idea of her leading this conversation than this dragon.

'I'm sure you have, young sorceress.'

'Could you stop calling me that, please?' She didn't like it he seemed to know that about her and the title had an unpleasant ring to it.

'It is what you are, Alina.'

'That is not my name, sir,' she said.

'Oh, but it is, young sorceress. It is the name which you were destined to have.'

The series had been right on something else as well, she noted to herself. The dragon was no less cryptic than she had believed. Quite the contrary, it was worse.

'Can you tell me why I'm here?' she asked, choosing to ignore the fact that he called her _young sorceress_ again.

'You were destined to be here, Alina.'

Her irritation finally got the better of her. 'Would it be too much to ask that you give me a straight answer? Why was I destined to be here?'

'Because you did not belong in the time in which you were born and neither did the girl whose body you now possess. You were both born in the wrong time.'

Her surprise of getting an answer that was not cryptic did not win it of the shock at hearing she apparently was born to be here, something she found hard to believe. Yet at the same it was not as surprising as might be expected. Lynn remembered never feeling truly at home in her own time. She sometimes found herself longing for the dreams, that took her to a time when life was simpler, not changing so much and so fast. She already felt more at home here than she had ever felt back there.

She eyed the dragon suspiciously. He had said something about her being destined to be here and she did not trust it at all. 'And what am I supposed to be doing here?'

'You are destined for greatness, child,' the dragon said, not unfriendly. 'It is your destiny to help Arthur create the land of Albion.'

'You are wrong there,' she disagreed. 'That's Merlin's job, not mine.'

He laughed. 'Merlin cannot marry Arthur, young sorceress. That will be your part to play.'

'Marry?' she echoed, way too loud. She couldn't help feeling a little disgusted at the idea of marrying such a selfish and self-absorbed man. Even Merlin looked surprised. 'No, you're most definitely wrong here. The man's a jerk. He may be destined to be a great king, and I even have my doubts on that account as well, but I'm not going to marry him, not to mention that would interfere with legend and I am _not_ going to do that.'

The dragon seemed to think this funny. 'It is your destiny, young one. There is no fighting it.'

Lynn wasn't the person who let people tell her what she could and couldn't do. Today she was angry on top of that. 'Watch me!' she hissed, completely forgetting she had been a little scared of him until then.

'In the end it will always find you,' the dragon told her, not in the least impressed by her anger or her determination to fight her destiny.

'I will not be responsible for changing the legend,' she insisted.

The dragon looked in her eyes, his gaze more pitying than angry. 'Have you not considered that changing the legend as you know it was the very reason you were brought to this place and time, young sorceress?'

No, she had not considered it. Why would she? Up till then there always had been the hope, however small, of returning home soon. When she was back, Alina was the one who could worry about those matters. She didn't want to have anything to do with them.

But the dragon's words changed everything. There was no going home. Alina was not coming back. She was Alina now, like it or not. She even received a destiny here! The combination of these things made her want to cry out in frustration.

'I'm out of here,' she said. 'And I _will_ prove you wrong, sir,' she added, before turning around and starting to walk back.

Merlin ran after her. 'Please, not so fast.'

She took a deep breath and slowed down. 'Is he always like this?' she asked crankily.

'Most of the time,' Merlin replied.

'Great!' she muttered. 'Just great.'

He tried to cheer her up. 'Protecting Arthur isn't that bad.'

'Oh, the protecting-part isn't,' she agreed. 'The marrying-part, however, is. Ugh!'

'I don't think you can escape it,' Merlin said. 'I tried and it didn't exactly work.'

'I fear you are right.' She sighed. 'Did I ever mention that I hate big, important destinies?'

**So, that's that for today. Since writing is going really fast the last few days, I'll probably be able to upload the next chapter tomorrow. I can already promise that there will be a part in Arthur's POV in it. Oh, and in the meantime, please review! I want to know what you think and maybe you have some great ideas I can include in the story!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, and here's the next chapter. Since I made my last exam just this morning I now have an awful lot of time on my hands, so I probably have time enough to keep uploading chapters on a regular basis. Please let me know what you think! Please?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin, blah-di-blah-di-blah!**

Chapter 5

**Arthur**

Official receptions had never been Arthur's favourite pastime, but there was just no escaping it sometimes. Today was such a time. The princess Alina had to be received with all honour that she was entitled to. So Arthur stood restlessly beside his father, waiting for her to enter.

'I hear she is something of a beauty,' Morgana whispered to him. 'Is that right?'

He shrugged. 'I thought you were considered the expert on the subject, Morgana.'

'I also hear that she turned you down.'

Arthur pretended that he didn't hear that.

'So it _is_ true,' Morgana whispered loudly to her servant Gwen.

He instantly forgot that he was ignoring her. 'Why don't you just keep to your very extensive beauty program, Morgana?' he hissed at the girl who was almost a sister to him, albeit a very annoying one.

He was distracted when the princess was announced.

'Well, we'll see soon enough,' Morgana whispered.

'You're not jealous, are you, Morgana?' he replied, teasing. It was almost common knowledge that Morgana had liked him for years. She was always worried for him and as nice as an angry cat when other likeable girls were around. It really was too obvious to deny it.

His remark made her angry, as remarks like this always did. 'She's welcome to you,' she said. 'With my compliments.'

The princess entered the room. For a second, Arthur did actually feel sorry for her. She had lost everyone. There was nobody left to accompany her at the reception, so she entered on her own. For a moment she looked around, looking a little scared and lost, but then she looked at a point somewhere beside him and she recovered herself. She straightened her back, raised her head and smiled, as if she just saw something that gave her the strength to go through with this.

Arthur turned his head to see what she was looking at, just in time to see Merlin answering her with one of his own smiles, which Morgana used to call sweet. _Merlin_ was the person Alina looked at for support? The world must have turned upside down to let that happen.

Uther stepped forward to meet Alina. 'My dear princess Alina. You are most welcome to Camelot. We all feel the loss of your father. He was a great man. We offer you our sympathies.'

She smiled a sad smile. 'Thank you, sire. You could not be more welcoming or more supporting.' Not a word about her missing her father, but, of course, she still didn't remember him.

His father introduced her officially to Morgana, before introducing her to him.

'Prince Arthur and I have already met,' she said and Arthur wondered if he was the only one who could hear how disapproving she sounded. She clearly had not yet forgiven him for his behaviour the other day.

'Of course,' his father said. 'He was the one saving you from the bandits, wasn't he?' Arthur could see what his father tried to achieve, but he doubted that was going to work. Alina looked angry enough to make milk turn sour, something that was completely lost on his father.

'I believe he was,' she replied politely, but still unmistakably icy. 'I'm afraid my memory of that day is clouded, my lord. Gaius hopes that in time my memories will come back.'

'You still don't remember anything from before the attack, my lady?' the king asked.

'Very little, sire. Being here has however helped to drag up a memory of my being here before. It must be many years past. I was only a little girl back then, running around the castle with your son.'

He laid a hand on her shoulder. 'It must be a sign that your memories are returning, my lady,' he said. 'Hopefully more will follow.'

'I hope so, my lord.'

'Well, if you would please excuse me, I have important business to discuss with Gaius.'

'Of course, my lord,' Alina said, whilst making a curtsy. 'Please don't let me keep you from important matters of state.'

The king left, leaving Arthur and Alina to keep a conversation going. For a minute they stood in an awkward silence, neither of them knowing what to say and trying to pretend that the other wasn't there. Arthur could feel the hostility radiating from her. It was obvious that she did not plan on talking to him and he did not know what to say to her, for fear of infuriating her even more.

After a minute, she curtsied again, producing an apologetic smile. 'Well, I promised to see the Lady Morgana when the official part was over,' she said. 'She wants to get to know me better, so I pray you will excuse me.'

He bowed. 'Of course, my lady.'

She had disappeared before he had even finished his bow. She walked so fast as she possibly could without actual running, fleeing away from him. Somehow this made him a little sad.

'That went well, didn't it?' Merlin said happily.

'Do you think so?' Arthur asked with chagrin.

'Well, you didn't rip each other's head off. Surely that's an excellent start,' Merlin chattered, obviously amused. 'A great way to enter into an engagement, I'm sure.'

'Merlin?'

'Yes, sire?' the servant asked, unaware of Arthur's rising fury.

'Shut. Up.'

'Whatever you want, sire. That's all I ever do, after all. When you come to think of it, I never have been one for talking anyway.'

Arthur had to remind himself very hard that hitting his manservant in front of the entire court would reflect badly on him, so he changed the subject, not even trying to get Merlin to actual shut up, knowing that was a battle already fought and lost, and he had no ambition to make a fool out of himself. 'This has to stop,' he told the boy.

Merlin had just glanced quickly to the princess, who was now conversing easily with Morgana and Gwen, laughing every now and then. 'What has?' he asked absent-minded.

Arthur waved his hand in front of his face, trying to get his attention. 'You courting the princess. She is not meant for you.'

Merlin only stared at him, face blank. 'What?' he managed to say in the end.

'She is a lady, Merlin. She can never marry someone like you. It has never happened and will never happen.'

'Indeed,' Merlin agreed. 'Because she is destined to marry such an arrogant, pompous royal ass like yourself.' He then bowed and walked away, leaving Arthur speechless.

**Merlin **

'Arthur seems to think that I have an eye for you,' Merlin told Alina when she came to see Gaius that evening for another potion. Her head was still a little sore, even though she wasn't the person to complain about such things.

'Well?' she asked. 'Do you?'

'Of course not!' he exclaimed. 'You're meant for Arthur.'

She made a face. 'How kind of you to remind me. I almost forgot.' She sat herself down on an old chair. 'I can't believe what an ass he is. We stood there for an entire minute and he hasn't said as much as a word to me.'

Gaius was working on the other side of the room, giving them some privacy.

'I told Arthur that I thought it didn't go too bad,' Merlin said. 'He did not seem to agree with me either.'

'Stupid dragon,' Alina muttered. 'If he weren't a dragon, I'd say that he had far too much alcohol in him when he said I was destined to marry that guy. Can you believe actually being around that man for the rest of your life?'

Merlin could, though his situation might be slightly different from hers, he had to admit that. But they had kind of the same destiny and that made him unable to feel anything less than completely happy. Finally he had someone of his own age to share his secrets with, knowing she would be the last person on earth to betray him. And he would never betray her. They were in this together. This realization created a bond that felt like it would last for the rest of their lives. He had to smile. He was so happy he could not stop it.

She interpreted his reaction wrongly. 'Sorry, I know you can. That was thoughtless of me to say. At least I won't have to polish his armour, launder his clothes, muck out his horses, sharpen his sword, bring him his breakfast, tidy his room and clean his boots.' She cocked her head. 'Did I miss anything?'

'No, I think you pretty much covered it all.'

'Oh, I don't think he'll throw stuff at me either. I wouldn't try if I were him. If I remember correctly, Alina was pretty handy with a sword.'

'You think you could in fact beat him in a fight?' Merlin asked in an exited voice. 'Could you do that, just once?'

She chuckled. 'He really needs a good kick in the ass, doesn't he? I'm not sure I can do everything she could, though, but it's always worth a try. So far, I seem to have inherited every skill she possessed, seen as I can suddenly draw and embroider, and I've never done that before in my life. I don't think sword fighting will present much of a challenge.'

'You are really going to stay then?' Merlin asked.

She shrugged. 'I have nowhere else to go. Ireland isn't an option. There are too many people who knew the real Alina back there. No one will believe me if I tell them that I am her. Going home is not going to happen either, if that bloody dragon is to be believed, which means that I'm staying here, doing everything that you've been doing.'

'Which is?' Merlin asked.

'Saving Arthur's arrogant butt and getting no thanks or credits whatsoever for the trouble and all the while trying to keep my magic hidden from everyone.'

'You are missing something,' he told her.

'Which is?' she asked.

A teasing grin appeared on his face. 'Well, if you plan on doing _everything_ I've been doing for the last year, than you'll also have to polish his armour, launder his clothes…'

'All right, not that bit then,' she laughed.

'Your knowledge of us seems to be quite extensive,' Merlin remarked. 'Is the legend in your time that precise?'

She nodded. 'Kind of. But I would not know how to explain to you how I got to know all the details. You'll have to take my word for it.'

'You know I will, don't you?'

She nodded, but she looked relieved, so he guessed she had not been entirely sure till then.

She thought a little while and then asked: 'Can I ask you some questions? So that I can figure out at which point of the legend it was that I interrupted?' She saw the look on his face. 'I know it sounds weird and believe me, I can still hardly believe it myself. But if it's going to be my destiny to keep that rude idiot from harm, don't you think it's better if I'm prepared for what I'm going to do?'

She misinterpreted again. He was not shocked by her words. It was actually quite the opposite. Hearing her say that made him realise that she was truly staying, truly willing to help him. It took him all he got not to bounce of his chair in excitement.

'Go ahead,' he said. 'Asking questions, I mean.'

'Right. Well… What was the last big event that happened?' she asked.

He thought about that for a moment, not knowing what she meant with a _big event_.

'When was the last time you had to come in and save the day?' she clarified. 'When was the last time you had to save Arthur, or Uther, or both, or the entire kingdom from some kind of attack, magical or not?'

'There was this incident with Morgana being angry with Uther not two weeks ago,' Merlin replied. 'She was mad at him, because he had Gwen's father killed, so she swore revenge, calling in the help of some evil sorcerer. I had to kill some of his men, but Morgana changed her mind at the last moment and then she saved Uther. But that was not such a big event, so I don't think that's going to help you…'

'To kill the king,' she whispered.

'What?' Merlin said. What was she saying? Did she want to kill the king? That couldn't be right.

'It's nothing,' she assured him. 'And you are wrong. You were a great help, because I now know where we stand and what we're in for next.'

He still eyed her warily. Her words seemed to suggest otherwise.

She smiled. 'It's okay, Merlin.'

'What did those words mean then?'

It was obvious that she heard the accusation contained within his question. It was also obvious that there was no ground whatsoever for his distrust, for she laughed. 'I'm not planning on killing Uther, Merlin. _To kill the king_ is merely the title of the chapter, if you may call it that, describing the events you just mentioned. There is no need for you to worry, I promise.'

'So, you are not going to kill the king, then?' he asked.

The look she threw him implied that he had just asked the stupidest question imaginable. 'Good heavens, no!' she exclaimed. 'I don't think it's part of my destiny.'

'So, you are not going to run from it then?'

'Yes and no,' she answered. 'I'm going to stay and protect Arthur from probably mostly his own stupidity, but also from more serious dangers, if you will let me help you, that is. But I am not going to marry him. I told the dragon and I'm telling you. I meant it. It's not going to happen.'

'Great,' Merlin said, smiling.

She smiled back. 'So, how about you teaching me some of those spells in that huge book you have?' she said. 'If I'm going to help you instead of being a burden to you, I had best be well prepared.'

And so they spent the rest of the evening practising spells, laughing about her little mistakes and exchanging jokes about their stupid ass of a destiny until it was too late to properly see what they were doing.

**And yet another chapter finished. Let me know what you think! Oh, just a little teaser for tomorrow's chapter: Alina really is going to put her skills at fighting to the test…**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, and here's chapter 6. Just a little fun chapter about Alina trying out her skills with a sword on Arthur. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: what a surprise, I still don't own Merlin!**

**Chapter 6**

**Alina**

Alina, as she now started to call herself for fear she might slip up someday if she did not, had been in earnest when she told Merlin she would try to beat Arthur with a sword. He no doubt did deserve it to lose for once and besides, she wanted to find out if she had inherited the other Alina's skills with the sword as well.

So the next day she told Uther she wanted to train, because she did not ever want to be helpless again and she hoped that practising with the sword would awaken more memories of the times she did this before. Uther could not argue with that, so he gave her permission to go. Alina found a nice sword and some armour that fitted not too well, but it would hold. After these preparations she headed down to the training field, where Arthur and his knights were already training.

When he saw her entering the field, he stopped. 'Princess Alina! To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?'

'I thought I needed to improve my skills, taking into account my failure to defend myself when we were attacked by those bandits,' she announced.

Arthur's jaw dropped. 'You want to train with us?'

'I believe that's what I said,' she said, already amused by the way he stared at her. Merlin, who was watching everything from across the field, seemed to enjoy himself as well. 'I'm sure one of your knights can spare some of his precious time to give me some pointers and train with me for half an hour or so.'

'I don't train women,' the prince said bluntly.

'Your father did not think there would be a problem,' she replied calmly, knowing he would have no other choice than to obey her wishes if the king had given her permission.

'Fine,' he snapped. 'Sir Owen, if you please?'

Training continued. Arthur tried to ignore her, but from time to time he would watch her when he thought she did not see. She did notice it, however, more feeling it than actual seeing it.

It took her about two minutes to figure out that sir Owen was not one of the best men on the field. He was slow, apparently in both body and mind. She dodged his attacks easily, getting him at the point of her sword every time before he saw where she was. She definitely had inherited Alina's skill with the sword as well. The point was not to think too much about what she was doing, because when that happened, she lost focus. Her body seemed to know what was needed and all she had to do, was obey it.

When she got bored of winning so easily, and started to feel sorry for poor sir Owen (that was around the time she beat him for the tenth time in a row), she started to look for a bigger challenge and her thoughts drifted back to Arthur. No doubt they would be well matched in a fight. She might even beat him. And she had promised to try.

Before she could think about it any longer, she turned to him and called out: 'Hey Arthur, I'm getting bored here. Are you up for some real fighting?'

'I'm sorry?' Arthur said. You could hear that he understood perfectly what she had just asked, but that he did however not believe it was possible she meant it.

The corners of her mouth curled up, as did Merlin's, when she clarified: 'You. Me. Duel. Now.'

'You. Can't. Be. Serious,' Arthur said, speaking each word as if it was a full sentence.

'I am.'

His eyes widened in disbelief when he realized that she really meant it. 'I can't do that,' he told her.

She had expected that. 'Afraid of taking on a woman?' she asked innocently.

Her question had the desired effect. 'I am not!' he protested.

Pleased that he had taken the bait, she asked: 'Then there is no problem, is there?'

'I might injure you and you have not yet fully recovered.'

'My head feels perfectly normal,' she replied calmly.

'But still, I might hurt you. My father would not thank me for that.'

'Yes, well, hurting me means that you have to get to me in the first place and I am not so sure that you are capable of that.'

Some of the surrounding knights started to chuckle, until Arthur threw them a look that silenced them immediately.

'Seems even your own knights doubt your ability to beat me,' she remarked. 'Do you not want to save your reputation?'

'I do not fight against women,' he told her. 'Knights don't.'

'Sir Owen just did,' she reminded him. 'Or he tried to, more like. I need a challenge before I die out of pure boredom here. I've heard you pride yourself to be the ultimate killing machine, so you should be able to throw up somewhat of a challenge.'

'I don't fight women,' he repeated.

'What? Afraid I'll give you a well-deserved kick in the ass? I never took you for a man who was too scared to go up against a girl, who is apparently not yet fully recovered.'

She finally had succeeded in angering him. He looked daggers at her. 'Fine!' he snapped. 'But it's your responsibly when you get injured.'

'When?' she asked in a disbelieving tone. 'If, more like.'

They took their positions. She felt a little doubt then. He was taller than she was and trained to fight since the age he was old enough to hold a weapon, while she was doing this more on instinct. But she did not show this and besides, the other Alina had been good at this, even beating her so well-trained brother at several occasions. This was something that came naturally to her. It should be fine.

'There is still time to withdraw,' he told her.

'Feel free to do so, if you are that scared of an injured woman,' she said, knowing he would never do that.

The next moment they were fighting and she did not think anymore. She just fought, dodging him one time, attacking him the next. Arthur was indeed a better warrior than sir Owen and she understood how he got his reputation. She had to work for it now, but she liked that. The other Alina had always enjoyed this and now she found that she did too.

'Getting tired already, my dear prince?' she asked teasingly when he took a few steps back.

'No,' he hissed. 'You?'

She laughed. 'Why would I? We've only just started.'

They were equals in this. At first he held back a bit, but when he found out she was that good, he had started to give it his best. She noticed, so she doubled her efforts, determined not to lose. He came very close a few times, but she was quicker than he was, so she managed to duck out of his way.

'You have to work on your speed,' she told him, panting, but feeling more alive than she had in the last couple of days. It was like she was born to do this. The fighting didn't wear her out, more the opposite. She felt like it gave her new energy.

Unlike her, he did grow tired. His reactions became slower. His heavy armour must be to blame for that, Alina thought, being happy she had had the sense not to cover herself from head to toe in chainmail. It would only have slowed her down. And she had no real need for it, for Arthur never got close enough to hit her.

She could now take advantage of the situation. She made a feint and he fell for it. Next moment she tackled him and held the point of her sword to his chest, while he was still trying to grasp what had happened.

'Do you yield, prince Arthur?' she asked.

'You… eh… what?'

She smiled. 'Do you yield?'

The look he threw her was in no way flattering or approving, but he had no choice. It was obvious that he, for the first time in many years, had been defeated. Alina felt as light as a feather when she realized that she did it. Up till now she had not dared to believe she actually could defeat the great Arthur Pendragon himself.

'Yield,' he said.

She sheathed her sword and held out her hand to help him up. He decided to pretend he did not see that.

It was only now that she noticed how many people had been watching the fight. There were town's people, knights, servants. She even spotted Gwen and Morgana, having the time of their lives. And there, beside Morgana, was the king, his expression unreadable. She could not possibly tell if he approved of what had just happened here, but she expected he would not. The fact that she had humiliated his son by defeating him in a duel would not contribute to his liking her, she supposed. But only a moment later he started to smile and the smile became a chuckle and the chuckle became laughter. The king was amused by this? Wonders never ceased, it would seem.

She glanced at Merlin, smiling herself. He winked at her and she winked back. She had kept her promise, but she was not sure who had enjoyed that the most, Merlin, the king, Morgana or she herself.

**Arthur**

'Oh…' moaned Arthur. He was sitting in a chair in his room while Merlin took of his armour.

'It was not that bad,' Merlin said, his tone suggesting otherwise. Arthur was sure that his servant just had the best day of his life watching Arthur being beaten by a young woman who was not only smaller and younger than himself, but also still under the influence of a blow to the head. He had never been so humiliated in his entire life.

'Oh…,' he moaned again.

'I'm sorry, sire,' Merlin said cheerfully. 'Did that hurt?'

Arthur laid his head on the table, wanting to shut the rest of the world out. If only the ground would open and swallow him up. He could not face the other knights now, not ever again. He could almost hear them joke about the prince who was defeated by a girl.

Morgana's reaction to his defeat would be even more difficult to bear. Knowing her he knew that she would not give him a moment's peace.

His father's response had been the worst. He had looked and then he had laughed, for everyone to see. After that he had walked up to Alina, congratulating her on her victory and joking that maybe she would have to receive a knighthood. With more women like her Camelot would never be in any danger again, he'd laughed. He groaned in frustration. She really had him wrapped around her little finger.

'Are you all right, sire?' Merlin asked.

'How on earth am I supposed to be all right?' he said, not sounding as impressive as could have been, because the words were spoken to the table. 'I've been beaten by a _girl_!'

'Yes, that really was funny,' Merlin said, not even trying to hide how much he was amusing himself.

'You think this is funny?' Arthur asked.

'Yes,' Merlin replied. His tone added the _of course_ without him having to say it aloud. 'She promised she would try and she did.'

This distracted him. 'You saw her again, Merlin?'

'Obviously.'

'Remember what I told you about courting her?'

'That I shouldn't.'

'Then why were you…?'

'I wasn't.'

'But you've been to see her?'

'She went to see me, actually.'

Arthur moaned again. Was there ever going to be an end to his suffering? Him being beaten by his fiancée was bad enough, his fiancée having a relationship with his manservant was even worse. He could not think of one reason why he deserved all of this.

'She _likes_ you?' he said, sounding disgusted, which he was. No girl in her senses looked at Merlin when he was in the room. But then, no one had said Alina was in her senses. Her being determined to train with the knights was proof enough of that.

'We're friends,' Merlin shrugged. 'I think she likes to be around persons who are in the possession of a brain.'

'Merlin?'

'Yes, Arthur?'

'Shut up.'

'Mwah, don't feel like it, really.'

'_Mer_lin!'

'Whatever you like, your royal pratness. Do you like a bath?'

'Hmm.'

'Because we would want you to be clean when you go hunting tomorrow,' Merlin continued.

Arthur shot up. 'Hunting?'

'You promised to go hunting with the knights tomorrow. Had you forgotten?'

Arthur put his head back on the table, cursing his own misfortune. Hunting meant seeing his knights again, hearing their jokes all day long… Even worse, he would have to invite the princess to come with them. Most noble ladies declined that offer, but Alina had proven herself not to be like most noble ladies. He had absolutely no intention of being bested at hunting by a girl. He was not sure if he would survive the shame.

'I thought you liked hunting,' Merlin said. 'Was killing defenceless little animals not _the_ recipe to mend a broken heart or something?'

'I have no broken heart!' Only a broken reputation, which would take years to mend.

'Good to hear that,' Merlin said happily. 'Does that mean you'll invite her yourself instead of letting me do it?'

Arthur had to think on that one. He wanted to avoid her as much as he possibly could without appearing to be rude, but he did not trust Merlin anywhere near her either. After all, the princess was his fiancée. There were just some things in this life which one had to do oneself.

'I'll do that, Merlin,' he said. 'You just make sure you do not come within an one mile radius of her. Did I make myself clear?'

'You're jealous!' Merlin exclaimed, laughing.

'I am not!' he protested, but it was no use. Merlin had too much fun. 'I don't even like her! I don't want to marry her!' he added before he realized what he just said.

Merlin's smile disappeared. 'Well, at last there is a thing on which Alina and you actually agree. I'll take these to clean, my lord, and then I'll start packing for tomorrow.'

He left the room, leaving Arthur to stand at the door, hardly believing what his servant said.

**And that's another chapter done. I promise that tomorrow's chapter is going to be a bit more serious, so please keep reading.**

**Oh, did I happen to mention how much I love reviews? So, come on, make my day!**


	7. Chapter 7

**And there's the next chapter. More serious stuff this time, just as I promised. By the way, I want to thank everyone who added this story to favourites or alert and also thanks so much for reviewing. You guys really make my day!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin etcetera. **

**Chapter 7**

**Alina**

'Hunting?' Alina asked.

Arthur had just appeared at her door, blurting out something that vaguely sounded as 'going-to-hunt-tomorrow-do-you-wanna-come-with-us?' She was not sure she understood all that, so she repeated one of the few words she had been able to make out.

Arthur nodded.

Alina was not sure how she was supposed to react. She knew the other Alina had loved hunting and had been rather good at it. She herself hated it however. She had never seen the point of killing animals for fun. She was no vegetarian, but hunting was a cruel sport and she wanted no part of it. But on this subject her knowledge failed. She had no idea if it was custom to go hunt with them, if she had to, because it was considered polite. She hoped not.

'Who is going?' she asked to buy herself some time.

'Oh, not many people,' he replied. 'Just some knights, Merlin and myself.'

She saw him study her face when he mentioned Merlin's name. Of course, Arthur thought that she and Merlin liked each other. The poor man was jealous. As irritated as she was at him checking up on her, his jealousy flattered her. Not that it changed one thing. She was not going to marry him.

'Hmm…'

'You don't have to, if you don't want to,' Arthur said quickly, too quickly perhaps. She got a feeling that he did not want her to come, in which case this invitation was only a courtesy.

'Then I'd much rather not go,' she replied truthfully. 'Killing for sport is not exactly my idea of having fun. I'd rather kick your butt on the training field again,' she added.

Arthur looked relieved. 'I'm sorry to hear that,' he said, not sounding sorry at all.

'No, you are not,' she contradicted.

He looked confused. 'Of course I am.'

'You are a terrible liar, Arthur Pendragon,' she said, laughing.

Arthur seemed to decide this was an argument he would end up losing, so he bowed and said: 'I wish you a good day, princess Alina.'

She chuckled. 'You most definitely do not sound as if you do wish me a good day, but I get it. It's probably best if you were on your way.'

Arthur turned around and walked away.

'Have fun hunting tomorrow!' she yelled after him.

* * *

Alina decided she could better spend some time inspecting the things Alina had brought with her to Camelot. Uther had offered her a maidservant, but she had declined. The idea of a servant coming across any magic stuff could get her killed in an instant. She did not know how many magic books, potions or other magical objects her counterpart had brought with her, so she wanted to be absolutely certain she was the one to find them.

Most of the baggage consisted of clothing, though. She found that she had a whole collection of dresses and cloaks. There were also a lot of shoes and boots. She found more than three jewellery boxes, all filled with rings, necklaces and bracelets.

'Unbelievably,' she muttered to herself. 'What am I supposed to do with all that?'

Among all those girlish things she found however also some armour and a good sword.

'Heavens be thanked,' she sighed. 'If I have to use that armour from the armoury again, I'll ache all over.'

Here and there she found all kinds of magical objects. She was glad that she kept her doors locked at all times when she was not in, because it would have been almost too easy to find these forbidden items. The other Alina had not even tried to hide them properly. She found a book of spells atop a pile of clothing and some very magical looking stones in one of the jewellery boxes.

She groaned. 'What are you playing at, Alina? Are you trying to get me killed?'

**Merlin**

Merlin hated hunting. Apart from hating to shoot animals that did not necessarily needed to be killed, he was no good at it either. Moving through the forest without scaring off the prey was an art he had not mastered yet, even though Arthur had given him plenty of opportunity to practise. He now doubted he ever would.

It was late in the morning and Merlin started to get tired of walking around after Arthur, carrying his spear and crossbow for him. There had not been as much as a rabbit all morning and Merlin could tell his royal pratness was starting to lose patience.

That growl from somewhere in the forest came just in time, really, but Merlin could not help but feel uneasy by the sound. What animal could make such a noise? It certainly wasn't an animal he had ever heard before.

Arthur did not seem to mind. He knelt down, holding out his hand. 'Spear,' he said.

He was trying to give it to him, really, but that bush got in the way and instead of in Arthur's hand, the thing landed on the ground, making enough noise to scare away any normal prey in the process.

Arthur's eyes promised him a slow and painful death for that mistake, but since Merlin knew Arthur would never act on those feelings, he did not worry. The prince picked up the spear from the ground, making almost more noise than Merlin, but the young warlock already knew it would be far from wise to remark on that.

'Do you have any natural gifts, Merlin?' he snapped.

'No,' Merlin replied, knowing that was what Arthur already thought. And maybe that was for the best, for as long as Arthur believed he was a total idiot, he wouldn't dream of suspecting him of using magic. 'But let me think,' he added. 'I'm not naturally rude of insensitive.'

'Just naturally irritating,' Arthur said, being very irritated indeed.

He stood up again, spear in his hand, and started to move forward, towards the source of the noise, which seemed to be somewhere before them in the forest. The accompanying knights followed behind them, bows in their hands, and Merlin started to feel sorry for the poor animal, whatever it was. It could not stand a chance against so many weapons. Surely there was no real sport in this. The knights just had to win.

Merlin heard it growl again, a little louder this time as they had come closer. There was something about it that sent a shiver down his spine and he almost dropped his bag, which gained him Arthur's by now very annoyed attention.

'It's probably more scared of you than you are of it,' he told Merlin.

Merlin was not entirely sure about that. The beast did not sound scared and if it had ears it should have heard them coming by now. The fact that it did not run as far away and as fast away as it could contradicted Arthur's statement.

On Arthur's sign the knights started to move again, trying to surround their prey. But before they were really on their way the beast sprang forward from the woods and it was everything Merlin had feared it to be: huge, angry and not in the least bit afraid of them. Its face made Merlin think of a snake, but the rest of its body reminded him of a predator, and a huge one at that.

The only sensible reaction to seeing this unexpected beast was to run. Luckily even Arthur wasn't as stupid as to try and fight it. He dropped his spear and ran for it, as did the other knights, with the beast chasing after them. What followed was an unorganised flight back to safety, wherever that may be.

Merlin was not sure if he would be able to run all the way back to Camelot. It had taken them all morning to get where they were and Merlin's condition was not as good as any of the knights'. So when he tripped and fell he assumed that was the end of him. The beast stood on its hind legs, towering above him. There was no way he would make it out alive now.

Then something unexpected happened. Suddenly he was pulled to his feet by Arthur and one of the knights. Before the beast realized what happened they were running again. Merlin heard his heartbeat pounding in his ears. _Run_, was the only thought in his head.

It was not until the others stopped that he allowed himself to think again.

'Have we lost it?' he asked, panting.

'Who's missing?' Arthur asked, looking around him and not even bothering to answer Merlin's question, as per usual.

Merlin, however, was more polite. 'Where's sir Bedivir?'

No one needed to answer that question, because they all heard screaming and Merlin knew for certain that sir Bedivir would not be returning with them to Camelot.

* * *

Thanks to the sir Bedivir's passing they made it back to the castle without further incidents. They were no longer followed by the beast, so Merlin got some time to order his thoughts and when he did that, there was only one conclusion to be made: he had just witnessed, and survived, something that Alina would call a _big event_. And if it was a big event, she would know about it. She would probably know _everything_ about it, he corrected himself. So when they came back, he sprinted to her chambers, ignoring Arthur's 'Merlin!' best he could.

He burst into her room without knocking.

'What do you think you are doing…?' she started to yell at him angrily, before she saw it was him. 'Merlin! Would it be too much to ask to knock before you enter a room?'

He noticed some strange items lying on the table, which she was trying to shield from his prying eyes without success. She was very fragile and there was a lot of stuff piled up on the table. Magic stuff, he realized when he looked closer and that almost made him forget his purpose in coming to her room.

'Is that yours?' he asked, pointing.

She grimaced. 'Apparently,' she answered. 'Will you promise to do that never again? You almost gave me a heart attack bursting in like that! For all I knew it could have been one of the guards or even Uther himself coming in!'

Merlin knew that a situation like this required a certain answer. 'Sorry,' he said. 'I did not mean to scare you.' He glanced at the objects on the table again. 'Wow, that's a lot of magic stuff. Did she really bring all of that with her to a place where magic is forbidden?'

Alina frowned. 'I suspect that she is trying to get me executed,' she said in a cold voice and Merlin realised that her anger was not just directed at him. Most of it seemed to be reserved for the girl who had lived in her body up till a few days ago. 'She did not even attempt to hide it! One of those books I found atop a stack of clothing. If anyone had opened that suitcase… I dread to think what might have happened. The book you found was well hidden compared to the rest.'

'Do you think that she truly wanted to get you killed?' Merlin asked in a disbelieving voice. 'She may not be the nicest person who has ever lived, but…'

'I would not put it past her,' Alina said icily. 'It would not be the first time she let someone else take the blame for something bad she has done. This,' she waved at stack of forbidden items, 'is completely in line with her character.'

'That bad?'

'No. Worse.' She inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. 'But of course I can't blame you for that and I doubt that looking at my things is the reason why you came rushing into my room, with a face as pale as if you had seen a ghost. Now I come to think of it, you are back very early. Something happened, Merlin?'

'There was a beast,' Merlin started, not sure how to tell her. 'I know it sounds crazy, but…'

'Merlin, I've been thrown back in time. There is very little I think crazy nowadays. So, tell me, what was the problem with this beast? Did Arthur fail to hit it and is he now sulking in his chambers?' She laughed, not yet realizing what was truly the problem here.

'It was huge,' Merlin said. He was well aware of what an understatement that was. There simply was no way to describe what it had been like. You must have been there to truly be able to understand how frightening it had been. He could still hear sir Bedivir scream in terror as the beast got to him. Another shiver went down his spine. 'Its head looked like that of a snake and it chased us and then sir Bedivir fell behind and…'

She raised her hand and he fell silent. He studied her more closely and saw that the smile had vanished from her face, leaving a solemn expression in its place.

'You know anything about this?' he begged.

She nodded. 'Of course I do.'

Relief washed over him. It was a strange thing to feel at such a time, but hearing Alina say that she knew what was going on, made him feel like maybe he did not have to solve this problem on his own this time.

'The questing beast,' she muttered. 'Now it's really beginning.'

'This is in one of the stories?'

'Would I know about it if it wasn't?'

'What is the chapter of that story called?' he asked, hoping it would give him a clue as to what they could expect.

'Trust me, you don't want to know.'

He did not doubt that for one second, she sounded too serious to even consider this was meant as a joke. It would be best to ask an apparently less dangerous question. 'Questing beast?'

'I'm sure there will be some kind of meeting in the council chambers,' she said, not answering his question. 'Gaius will be able to explain it better than I can.'

'What will we do with it?'

She snorted. He noticed she did this every time someone asked her a question she considered more than stupid. 'We kill it, of course.'

**Well, there's another chapter and writing is going very well, so I can already promise you a rather large chapter for tomorrow. Please keep reading and reviewing, I love them.**

**I hope I did not disappoint too many people when I decided not to let Alina come on the hunt. I will save that for another time, I promise!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, which happened to be quite a lot. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin (obviously).**

**Chapter 8 **

**Alina**

The meeting had not yet begun when they entered. Most people were present, Arthur among them. Alina saw that he shot her and Merlin a very strange look when he noticed them. Oh, that's true, he thought they were a couple. In all the excitement this had escaped her mind. Arthur had no idea how blind he was. Merlin and her, a couple? Oh, please! Merlin was like a good friend to her, a brother maybe. But then, a jealous man sees only what he wants to see.

The king entered and the meeting began. Arthur described the creature again, in more detail then Merlin just had done. That report left no room for any doubt in Alina's mind. This was the questing beast and she had truly ended up in legend. She found that she had not really believed that she had until now, now that events that she had actually seen in the series started to take place, not on a television screen, but in reality.

_My first chance to _not_ mess up the legend_, she thought to herself.

'The creature you describe has all the characteristics of the questing beast,' Gaius said when Arthur had finished his account of what happened in the forest.

Merlin threw her a unbelieving look.

'Told you so,' she mouthed back at him. She did not think anyone had noticed.

'Surely that's a myth,' Arthur said dismissively.

Alina had to do her best not to sigh. How could a grown man of some intellect be _so_ stupid, she wondered. He had seen the beast! The thing had MAGICAL written all over it, but no, Arthur had to dismiss it as myth. Typical. Reality had again confirmed something she knew from the series: Arthur was completely senseless when it came to, well, practically everything. It wasn't like this was an exception.

'According to the old books the appearing of the questing beast is supposed to foreshadow a time of great upheaval,' Gaius went on, ignoring Arthur's remark, as was only wise.

_Oh yes_, Alina thought.

'Gaius, that's an old wives' tale,' Uther said warningly. For some reason the king did not want to hear, or to believe the truth. When it came to magic, he was even stupider than his son. Perhaps Arthur could not help it, Alina reflected. Stupidity seemed to be hereditary.

'Look, whatever it is, it's spreading panic,' Arthur said diplomatically. Maybe he did possess more sense than his father. Not that having less would be possible.

'The people fear it will enter the city,' the prince continued.

This distraction worked. 'Then we must kill it,' Uther said immediately. 'Arthur, gather the guard together. You ride at dawn.'

This was the end of the meeting, because everyone left the room. Alina made haste and caught up with Arthur at the end of the corridor. 'So,' she began. 'Sounds like fun.'

'What does?' Arthur asked, not understanding.

'Hunting the questing beast,' she replied.

'You heard my father, it is not a questing beast,' Arthur said.

'I heard your father. You and I seem to have heard something quite differently back there, because I heard a man who does not want this beast to be the questing beast. That does however not mean that it is not exactly that,' she explained.

She had annoyed him now. She could tell it by the way he frowned and breathed. 'What is it to you, princess Alina?'

'Less of the princess and more of the Alina, please,' she said. 'All those people calling me by my title is starting to get on my nerves. And, to answer the question, you didn't think I was going to wait here twiddling my thumbs while you go and have all the fun, do you?'

She shocked him, she realized with pleasure. He had not seen this one coming. His eyes first widened in disbelief and then his jaw dropped when he realized she meant it.

'You can't!' he exclaimed.

'Really?' she asked innocently.

'It's dangerous, Alina.'

'All the more reason for me to come,' she argued. 'If I have been able to kick your royal butt, so can that questing beast. You probably can use someone to look out for you, other than Merlin, that is.'

'I'm more than capable of looking after myself,' he protested.

'So I have seen,' she remarked dryly.

Arthur grimaced.

'Listen, Arthur, please let me come? I _want_ to help!' she begged. _I want to keep your butt out of trouble_, she corrected in her mind. But it was not so wise to mention that to Arthur, since he was so full of himself he did not think he needed any protection. _Pride always comes before the fall_, she thought, _and if Arthur does not watch himself, he is very close to finding out the truth of that saying._

'What do you think my father will say?' he said.

'Your father thinks I'm ready to be knighted. He knows I can look after myself. Besides, since your father does not or does not want to believe this beast to be dangerous, he probably won't object.'

She had him there. Uther had been singing her praises ever since she beat his son, something he seemed to find amusing. He had given her official permission to train with the knights and ride out with them if she felt like it, to Arthur's displeasure. She did not care about that. It provided her with the perfect opportunity to help Merlin in his task to keep Arthur safe.

'Fine,' he snapped at her. 'But if you get scared or injured, it is not my fault.'

'Deal,' she agreed, knowing she would not lose her nerve with so much at stake. 'Well, I'll see you in the morning then.' She turned around and started to make her way back to her own chambers.

'If you are not in the courtyard by dawn, we leave without you!' Arthur yelled after her.

'Don't worry, I'll be there,' she called back from over her shoulders.

Back inside the safety of her own chambers she started to think about what she was going to do. Keeping Arthur safe had to be her first priority, she decided, before realizing that should not be her first, but her second priority. The first had to be not to meddle with legend, to help Arthur in a way that history would not remember her. _Isn't that ironic?_ she thought to herself. _Some people would kill for a place in history. It seems I'm destined to do the opposite._ Not if the dragon got his way, though. If he had a say in it, she would end up in the history books, changing history and legend as she knew it in the process. _Never_, she promised herself. _I am not going to let that happen._

But if that was the case, she also needed to rethink the subject of saving Arthur from the questing beast. She sat down in her chair, trying to remember as much as she could from the episode she now found herself in. If she decided to save Arthur and kill the beast before it could harm another human being, Merlin would not go to the Isle of the Blessed to get a cure for Arthur. Her mind skipped ahead to the end of the episode. Merlin would not kill Nimueh.

This realization hit her with the force of a bomb explosion. By saving Arthur before he could get himself hurt, she would change the legend. If she was certain of one thing, it was that. She could not be responsible for that.

So, she could not save Arthur and the legend both. But Arthur would live, no matter what she did, she knew that. It looked like it was up to her to make sure legend would follow the path it had followed before she showed up here.

She groaned when she understood what a huge destiny she really had. 'Ugh! Why on earth did I ever think living in this time would be _easier_?'

**Arthur**

For a moment Arthur thought Alina wasn't going to show up. He did not see her when he left the castle the following morning. He scanned the courtyard, looking for her, but she was nowhere to be seen. This truly was his lucky day. If he was being honest with himself, she always gave him an uneasy feeling. There was something about her that he did not quite understand, something he had when he was around Merlin too. Maybe it was not strange they got along so well together.

'Morning, Arthur,' a familiar voice spoke behind him. 'You are so late I was starting to worry that you wouldn't come.'

He turned around in surprise. 'Princess Alina!'

She smiled. 'Glad to see you recognize me, but I believe it was only yesterday that I asked you to quit calling me by my title.'

'My apologies. So you are coming?'

'I believe I said so yesterday,' she replied. 'Is your memory so bad you don't recall that conversation we had?'

He remembered all too well. There had been something about her, in her eyes, that made him believe she could look right through him, straight into his soul. He had the uneasy feeling that she knew more about him than he did.

'Never mind,' she said when he did not answer.

The knights were gathering now as well and Arthur decided to give them a final speech. After all, most of them had seen the beast and were more or less afraid of it.

'You've seen the foe we face,' he said. 'It's a creature of nightmare.' Since it had featured in his dreams that night, it was not even a lie. 'But you are the best knights in the realm.' _Okay, Merlin and Alina are no knights, but never mind that._ 'We can and we will kill it before it harms another citizen of our kingdom.' He drew his sword. 'For the love of Camelot.'

The knights followed his example and said the words. Arthur noticed that Merlin and Alina however did not do that. They exchanged some quick, worried glances, which gave Arthur the uncomfortable feeling they knew something he didn't. But yes, they both believed this beast was a magical beast. Maybe they doubted the possibility of it being able to get killed by mere weapons. He would prove them wrong and then he would be the one laughing at their fear. _Serves them right_.

They were about to depart, when the calling of his name drew his attention. Morgana ran out of the castle, still in her nightgown, a look of terror on her face.

'Morgana, what are you doing?' he asked, a little annoyed and a little ashamed. What was she thinking, running barefooted and in her night's clothing out in the open for everyone to see? Had she gone mad?

'Arthur, you cannot face it!' she said, trying to grab his hands.

He got hers before she got his, though. 'Morgana, go back to bed. There is nothing to be afraid of,' he said slowly, as if to a frightened child. He realized she must have had one of her nightmares again and could not tell dream from reality at the moment.

'Please, Arthur, I've seen terrible things!' she begged. She had been crying, he saw. It must have been an exceptionally bad dream. He should ask Gaius to give her another potion. 'You cannot go!'

Merlin offered to take her to Gaius, for which Arthur was grateful. Morgana struggled to break free, screaming now. 'No! I will not let you go!'

It took some help from Merlin and some of the guards to get her back inside. She was still screaming and Arthur found himself wishing that Gaius would be able to help her. Morgana was a kind girl. She did not deserve to suffer so much.

Merlin helped her up the stairs and then the guards took over. When he descended, he saw him look very worried at Alina again, who looked very grave and nodded. What was going on between these two?

They stayed close together when they entered the forest again, talking in whispers. He wondered if he was supposed to say anything about it, but decided to save that for later. Right now he had more important things on his mind.

They found a footprint in the mud very soon. Arthur tried not to look at it too closely. The size of the print reminded him all too much of the size of the beast as a whole and it would not do to get nervous now. Everyone relied on him. He was the one they expected to be strong, so that was what he had to be.

They followed the trail to a series of tunnels and caves. He knew of its existence. It was a labyrinth in there, in which one could very easily get lost. Oh yes, this was truly not his lucky day. They could hear the beast roar somewhere down there, but with all the echoing going on in here, it was impossible to say where exactly it came from.

There was really one thing to do in a situation like this. Arthur decided that they needed to split up in order to find the monster. Alina and Merlin both stayed with him. What had he done to deserve such bad luck?

They tried to follow the noise as best they could, leading them deeper and deeper into the tunnels. He had never been so far inside.

Eventually they came to a huge cave which looked like it was the beast's lair. The ground was covered with things that Arthur did not dare to examine too closely.

'Are those…?' Merlin whispered.

'Human bones,' Alina confirmed. To Arthur's surprise she did not sound scared. She sounded cold, he decided. Cold and angry. And when he reminded himself that sir Bedivir's bones could well be among these, he understood why she was.

There was a hiss behind them in the dark and Arthur nearly froze in shock, unlike Alina, who grabbed her sword tighter, a determined look on her face. She was braver then he had given her credit for.

'What is it?' Merlin whispered.

The question was so ridiculous that neither Arthur nor Alina bothered to answer it. Besides, there was no time for that. They had only just turned, when something growled behind their backs and when they turned again, they stood face to face with the creature.

'Tired of playing hide and seek, are you?' Alina growled at it.

The monster growled back at her. Arthur could almost have sworn it understood exactly what she just said. No wild animal should have such an understanding and clever look in its eyes. It wasn't natural.

He swung his sword at the beast to distract it from the princess. From the corner of his eyes he saw Merlin make a run to safety. Typical. His fiancée turned out to be braver than his servant.

The beast seemed not the least impressed by his attempt to hit it. It reared up, the way a horse would do, ready to strike, when he heard a voice call out. 'Hey you, ugly! Pick on someone your own size!'

Crap, that was Alina's voice. What on earth was she playing at?

The beast roared in anger. Alina had managed to hit his left hind leg. It did not look like it hurt him a lot, but she most definitely had managed to infuriate it now. It turned on her.

'Bring it,' she hissed.

It lashed out at her, but she dodged his attack easily, rolling over the floor and getting up at its other side in a series of smooth movements. She was quick, he had to give her that.

'Missed me,' she informed it.

The beast appeared to be well aware of that, because it roared again.

'Not impressed,' she told it. 'You'll have to come up with something better next time.'

The monster prepared to strike again, but Arthur had just realised that two could play this distraction game. The beast seemed to be able to focus only on one single person at a time, so if they worked together, they might even be able to finish it off.

'Picking on girls now, are you!' he yelled, trying to forget that he was, in fact, very much afraid of it now. Where had Merlin gone? Was he looking for help? He had better be or Arthur promised himself the boy would suffer for it. 'Never believed you would be such a coward who picks on girls!'

It turned on him now, and, oh heavens, it was fast. He tried to dodge the attack, just like Alina had done, but was just a second too late. Something hit him hard on the chest and next moment he flew through the cave, his sword falling out of his hand.

_How is it possible that I am slower than a girl_, he wondered as he flew through the air.

'Arthur!' he heard Alina call out in a panicked voice.

Next moment he hit the ground hard. 'Ow,' he moaned. He knew he had to get up again, knew he had to fight, but he could not find the strength to do so. The beast leaned over him, its face closer than Arthur believed was safe, but he couldn't really care. His mind was too confused and he was sinking away in unconsciousness.

He surfaced again when something stung him. He was aware of Alina's voice, shouting insults at the enraged animal. He even thought he heard Merlin yell wordlessly to get its attention. They succeeded, for the beast turned away from him to face his servant and his fiancée while he was lying helplessly on the ground, not being able to protect either of them.

His vision was blurred, but he tried to stay awake this time, so he saw Merlin stand, somewhere high, so he stood on an equal level with the beast's head. His servant held out his hand, as if he was inviting the beast to come to him. The monster was all too happy to oblige. It roared and tried to grab Merlin this time.

'Oh no, you don't!' Alina screamed and he saw a flash of blue flying through the air, hitting the monster. The beast roared, got up on its hind legs again, appearing to be actually hurt this time. It growled one last time and then crashed to the ground. It did not move again.

'Got you!' Alina cried out in triumph. 'You all right, Arthur?'

Now he came to think of it, all right was perhaps not the best word to describe his situation. Something hurt in the area around his chest.

'Bloody hell!' Alina cursed.

He heard them both come to him and then kneeling down beside him.

'It didn't bite you, it didn't bite you!' Merlin repeated in panic.

_Of course not_, he wanted to say.

'Merlin?' Alina said in an alarming voice. 'I think it did.'

'I'm fine,' he muttered, but somehow he managed to make it sound like a grunt of pain.

'You stay here, Arthur Pendragon,' Alina demanded. 'You are not going anywhere. Don't you dare lose consciousness, do you hear me?'

'Perfectly,' he mumbled, before the blackness took him.

**And that's another chapter done. I hope you guys had a good time reading it. You truly are amazing readers, you know? And please, do me a huge favour and review. I love it.**


	9. Chapter 9

**And there's chapter 9 already. Is it just me, or is this story really growing quickly now? Anyway, as always, enjoy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own… Well, you know the rest, don't you?**

**Chapter 9**

**Merlin**

'I'm so sorry, Merlin. I tried, I really did!'

It was obvious that Alina was still blaming herself for what happened in the cave. She had scarcely said anything else since Arthur lost consciousness. Merlin knew that she believed she could have changed the outcome of the fight if she had just tried harder. With her knowledge she thought she would have been able to turn the events in her favour. She just had not anticipated Arthur's stupid try for heroism and neither had he. Was it really that hard to let a girl take the credit for once? Apparently it was. Alina had been doing fine until Arthur drew the beast's attention away from her.

They had tried, heaven knew they had tried. Alina had yelled on top of her longs and so had he, but when it finally returned its attention to them, it had already been too late. The damage had been done. He had lost control then, deciding that it did not matter if he used magic now. They were going to die anyway if he did not.

There had been no time to explain. He just acted, hoping that Alina would understand. He spelled her sword so it would be able to kill the monster if she hit it. He should not have doubted her, for as soon as she realized what he did, she had thrown her sword as hard as she could straight into its chest. And that had been the end of it. It had roared one last time before falling to the ground. It did not get up again.

The knights had come shortly after, drawn to them by the noise they were making and they had set out for Camelot as fast as they could. They had just burst into Gaius' chambers. Merlin cleared the table in the middle of the room with one smooth movement so that the knights could lay Arthur on it.

'What happened!' Gaius exclaimed, then bending over and seeing for himself. 'He has been bitten!' he said angrily, looking at Merlin, as if he was in some way to blame for all of this.

'I tried to save him, we both did,' Merlin said, knowing Gaius would understand how hard they had tried.

'Someone must tell the king,' Gaius said.

All the knights exited the room, leaving only Gaius, Alina and Merlin to stay with Arthur.

'Gaius, there must be a way?' he begged.

'I wish there was,' Gaius said.

Merlin recalled all too clearly how Gaius said that there was no cure for the bite of this animal, but something in Alina's face had made him unsure about that. This was not the expression of someone who had given up all hope. This was someone who was still fighting and therefore she must know about a cure.

'There is a way, Gaius,' she said, looking him straight in the eye. 'You know there is.'

Judging by Gaius' expression it was not a way he approved of. 'That is not a way,' he told her. It seemed as if they had had a discussion before about the subject and were now continuing their debate.

'There is no other way,' Alina said. 'And Arthur _has_ to live. It's our destiny to keep him alive, so if you think I'm going to stand by and watch him die, you do not know me at all.' Merlin had to agree with her on this one.

Gaius could not argue with this. He nodded in defeat.

'What are you talking about!' Merlin asked impatiently. 'Are you trying to say there actually is something we can do?'

Before Gaius could stop her, Alina answered: 'There is. The Isle of the Blessed. The priestesses of the Old Religion dwell there and they can mirror the power of life and death. It's Arthur's only chance.'

'That's wonderful!' Merlin exclaimed in relief. 'Why didn't you say so before?'

'Because there will be demanded a life in return,' Gaius said angrily.

Merlin's face dropped. 'Whose?'

'That would be mine,' Alina said calmly. 'Arthur managed before with only you to keep him from trouble, so he'll have to do with that again. I can very easily be missed.'

One look on her face could tell Merlin she was serious about this. 'You can't!' he cried out.

'Someone has to,' she said. 'And it is most definitely not going to be you.'

There was no time for more arguing, because the king burst into the room. Merlin had never seen the king look so scared before. 'Where is my son? Arthur!'

They all did a few steps back so that the king had room to get to Arthur. He bended over, touched his face, but there came no reaction whatsoever.

'Do something, Gaius!' he demanded.

The physician told the king something they already knew: that there was nothing to be done, but that he would try everything in his power.

'I'll carry him to his chamber,' the king said, talking as if he had not heard Gaius at all, but the look on his face told Merlin that he knew. He picked up his son and left the room and there was nothing they could do but follow.

The king managed to hide his grief until they were in the courtyard. He collapsed, not able to keep the tears inside any longer. Knights came and took Arthur's limb body from him, leaving Uther crying helplessly on the cold stones. Merlin did not think he had seen the king look so vulnerable ever before.

Alina was the first to get to him, lending him her hands, getting him up. Uther leaned heavily on her, but she did not complain. She comforted him in a soft voice, assuring him that everything was going to be all right, telling him how capable Gaius was and that he would find a way. Speaking like this she led the king away to rest.

Merlin watched. When he saw how easily she interacted with the king, he knew what he had to do. Because even if she did not believe it herself yet, she belonged in that family. The dragon had been right. She was born to be here, born to _live_ here. And that only left one option open: not Alina, but he had to go. It was as clear as daylight to him that this was meant to be. Yes, he would be sorry to leave Arthur behind, but the prince would not be unprotected. Alina would see to that. In time they might even start to love each other. She would fulfil her destiny here, all of it. And he was the one to make sure that she would.

**Alina**

Alina returned to her room when she had escorted the king back to his chambers. To see Uther so broken had only strengthened her decision to go. He could not bear to see his only child die. It was up to her to see that he did not have to see that day.

The thought of her going to the Isle of the Blessed had only just occurred to her when she was speaking to Gaius and Merlin about the cure. She knew that was how things needed to be the moment the words left her mouth. She would go, bargain with Nimueh for the cure and finish the evil witch off when she had it. She knew the spell to do it. After that she would race back to Camelot, give the cure to Arthur and then suffer the consequences. It was a simple, straightforward plan. Very little could go wrong. The legend would not be really disturbed and this way the risks of something happening to Merlin or someone he cared about would be brought back to an absolute minimum. _And I write myself out of legend_, she added as an afterthought.

Someone knocked at her door.

'Come in,' she called.

'Packing, Alina?'

She turned around. 'Merlin. What are you doing here?'

'You are determined to go?' he asked.

She nodded. 'You know I have to.'

'I know _someone_ has to,' he said.

'That someone is going to be me,' she said. 'It's only logical, Merlin. I have the least to lose. I can so easily be missed, not to mention that I will no longer be a threat to the future.'

'You can't go.'

She had not realized Merlin felt so strongly about this. They had become close friends in only a few days' time. He did not want to miss her. That was something he had to deal with, though, because she would indeed be leaving very soon. _It's like being a guest star really_, she thought. _In it for one episode only and then I'm out again._

'I'm sorry, Merlin,' she said. 'But someone has to go and I'm not going to ask so much of another person. You are going to be all right, I know it. You have Arthur to protect, so you better not make a mess of that or I might decide to come back and haunt you.'

'You do care for him, then?' he asked.

She decided that question deserved an honest answer. 'It's difficult to describe,' she said, hesitating. 'All I can say is that it's strong, very strong. That might have something to do with me knowing so much about him already, while I haven't had the chance to really get to know him in real life. It's… I like the man I know he will over time become. That man will be worth all the trouble. It makes that the prat he now is, is tolerable. Sorry, I don't know if you get what I mean, but that's the best I can say about it.'

He nodded, understanding.

'So, you understand that I have to go?' she asked softly.

'No,' he said.

Sometimes it was so easy to see why Arthur called him an idiot. 'Surely you understand that someone has to go and get the cure!' she said, annoyed now. Why did he have to make it so difficult? 'Arthur has to live, no matter what.'

'I understand that,' he replied calmly. 'I just don't agree with the part that says _you_ have to go.'

'Merlin…,' she began, but he interrupted.

'The dragon was right, you know. You belong here, at Arthur's side,' he said. 'It must be your job from now on to keep him safe.'

There was something about the way he spoke those words that she didn't trust. 'Merlin, what are you…'

'I'm sorry, Alina,' he said in a sad voice. 'It's for the best.' Then he spoke a spell that she did not yet know, but she knew what it did immediately, because all of a sudden she felt so drowsy that she simply could not keep her eyes open.

'No, Merlin,' she muttered incoherently. 'You mustn't…'

'Hush,' he said softly, lifting her up. 'It's going to be all right. I'll make sure it is.'

She wanted to protest again, but she felt she could not. Next moment she was asleep.

* * *

When she woke again, she found herself lying on her bed, with the blankets carefully draped over her. For a moment she did not remember how she had come to be there. One moment she had been packing her stuff together for the journey to the Isle of the Blessed. But then something had intervened. She could not recall it.

'Ow,' she moaned as she got up too quickly and her surroundings seemed to start moving. She had to ask Merlin if there was a spell that stopped dizziness.

The next moment it all came back to her. Merlin! Merlin had been here, telling her that she couldn't go, that her place was at Arthur's side. And then he had used magic against her, to make her sleep. It was not hard to guess why he would have thought that necessary. Merlin had assumed, and rightly so, that she would make a scene when he announced that he would be the one to go, thus making sure that legend followed exactly the path it would have done if she had not been here. She groaned in frustration. 'Merlin, you moron!'

She walked to the window. It was still dark outside. It must have been exactly like that when Merlin had cast the spell on her. Maybe she had only been out for a few minutes. She could still be in time to stop him.

Without actually deciding it she broke into a run, straight for Gaius' chambers. Merlin would need to gather supplies before leaving. She burst into the room without knocking, waking up Gaius, who had been asleep.

'My lady?' he asked in a confused tone.

'Gaius,' she greeted.

'What brings you to this dark corner in such a hurry, my lady?' the old physician asked politely.

'Where is he?' she demanded.

'Who?' Gaius asked.

'Merlin,' she replied in a cold voice.

Could it be that the old man was in on this whole scheme to keep her from going? She had trouble believing that, because he was almost like a father to Merlin and would not be willing to let his ward go too easily and most certainly not when someone else had volunteered to go. Still, she would not put it past Merlin. She should have known how fiercely protective he was of the people he cared about. He was too selfless for his own good, she thought angrily.

'I thought he was with you, my lady,' the physician answered. 'I have not seen him since yesterday.'

It took her a few moments to process that. Yesterday. She had not slept for a few minutes, she had slept for twenty-four hours. That would have given him plenty of time to get away. There was no going after him now. There was no way she could get to him before the deal was struck.

For a moment she forgot she was not in her own time anymore, but in the Middle ages. She uttered a word which made Gaius' face turn bright red, but she hardly noticed it anyway. Before he had recovered himself, she was already on her way again, making for Arthur's chamber, cursing her own stupidity. How could she not have seen this coming? She knew the answer to that question. She had been too preoccupied with her own plans that she had overlooked everything else, including Merlin's willingness to sacrifice himself.

This also had her thinking about her role in all of this again. She toyed with the idea of going to the dragon again in the hope he could provide some answers, but realized such a visit would most likely leave her with more questions than she had had in the first place. Besides, she was not really fond of the enormous creature. She would have to figure it out alone.

**Hope you had fun reading. I've got a feeling this whole thing is going wildly out of hand, but if you don't care, I don't. So let me know what you think please!**


	10. Chapter 10

**And here's yet another chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, by the way. Loved it.**

**Disclaimer: The BBC still owns Merlin. I don't.**

**Chapter 10**

**Arthur**

Arthur wasn't entirely certain whether he was alive or dead. He was not completely alive, but he didn't feel dead either, so he guessed he was somewhere in between. The pain in his chest seemed to support that theory.

He lost all sense of time, had no idea of how long he had been lying like this or how long it would take for him to either recover or die. The only thing he really could do, was wait. And waiting had never been his strong point, as all of Camelot would agree.

His body was paralyzed with the beast's poison. He could not move a finger. He could not even open his eyes. But he had moments of awareness. In those moments he could hear what was going on around him, not much, to be sure, and he could feel it if people touched him, held his hand or touched his forehead. Most of the time however he spent sleeping, for want of a better word.

There had been a moment of awareness some time ago. Guinevere had been at his bedside, saying things about how he had to live to become the man she had seen inside him or something very much like that. Then there was a moment of oblivion. He was only just "awakening" when someone knocked on the door.

Nobody answered. Arthur wasn't even sure there was someone else in the room with him. It was very silent.

The door went open. 'Hello?' a voice softly asked. 'Anyone in?'

_Yes, I am_, he thought, not being able to say it aloud.

The door was closed again and the person who had just come in walked over to the chair he knew stood beside his bed. 'Gwen?' she asked. It was Alina, he realised now. 'Gwen, wake up.'

'Oh, my lady!' the maidservant said. 'I'm so sorry, I did not mean to fall asleep.'

'It's all right,' the princess assured her. 'You should go to bed. Get some rest. I'll take over here.'

'Do you not need to sleep, my lady?' Guinevere asked.

'I've had more than enough sleep for a while,' Alina replied decisively. There was a sharp edge to her voice, which Arthur did not fully understand. She sounded angry about something. But then, it seemed to be a habit for her to be angry when he was around. The only times he had seen her looking happy these last few days was when she was in Merlin's company, a fact that did annoy him somehow.

'Are you sure, my lady?'

'Very sure. And there is no need to call me that, Gwen. Just my name will do.'

'Thank you, Alina.'

'Sleep well, Gwen.'

Gwen exited the room, Arthur heard the door close behind her. Alina sat herself down on his bedside, changing the cloths on this forehead.

'I don't know if you can hear me,' she began.

_Yes, I can_, he thought. _Go ahead_.

'But if you can, I wanted to apologize,' she went on. 'I have been, well, unkind to you on several occasions and still you tried to save me in that cave. I mean, it's not like I needed help or anything, but I like it that you tried. Oh dear, that's not much of an apology, is it?'

_No, I think you can do better._

'But seriously, Arthur, what were you thinking? You ought to know by now that nothing good ever comes from saving damsels in distress. Most damsels seem to be quite capable of saving themselves around here.'

_Thanks so much for reminding me. If you have come only to mock me, I'd rather like it if you left._

'I know you don't feel great right now, but I know you are going to be all right. Merlin and Gaius are working hard on a cure, so you'll have to keep fighting this poison until they do.'

_Sure. You know you have to hurry, though?_

She sighed. 'You probably can't even hear me, so it does not matter what I say. You won't know that I did when you wake up. Don't even know why I'm doing it. Probably because I might very easily get bored in no time when I don't.'

She sounded a bit like Merlin now, chattering on about nothing in particular, but for once, Arthur did not mind. Her voice gave him something to focus on and focussing on something was the best way to remain aware of what was going on around him. _So, by all means, just chatter on._

She chuckled. 'You know, when I came here, I used to think that life here would be easier than it was at home. Well, Camelot has done everything in its power to prove me wrong on that one, it appears. Merlin… Oh no, can't tell you about that, just in case you are listening.'

_Now, this is getting interesting. What about Merlin?_

She chuckled again. 'Come to think of Merlin, though, he told me that you are under the impression Merlin and I have this kind of secret relationship. Really, Arthur, what were you thinking? Well, at least I can put your mind at rest on this one. We're just friends. I'm not sure you approve of that either, but that is something you will just have to deal with. I don't think I will tell you straightaway when you wake up, though. It's kind of funny to see you being jealous.'

He really should not be relieved right now, he really shouldn't. But this was a feeling he could not help but feeling. It was ridiculous. He did not even like her, did he?

She told him a lot of stories from her homeland after saying that, to entertain herself, but entertaining him in the process, of which she was of course not aware. Most of the stories were just stupid fairy tales, about sleeping princesses who needed to be woken up by princes who were riding on white horses or nonsense like that. It wasn't until the door of his chamber opened again that she stopped talking.

If he heard correctly, there were two people coming in. Alina, who had been holding his hand for a while, tensed. He could almost feel the anger radiating from her. Arthur wondered who it could be to make her so furious, because that was probably the best word to describe her mood, so suddenly.

'You and I need to talk!' she snapped.

Arthur was a little surprised when he heard Merlin answer. Were they not supposed to be good friends? 'I'm sorry, Alina, but I had to.' He sounded a little guilty. Now this was truly a very interesting situation. He couldn't wait to find out what was going on here.

'No, you did not,' she disagreed. 'You could have let me do it, as planned.'

'As _you_ planned it,' Merlin said, sounding a little defensive now. Arthur would have done the same if he were in his shoes. He could almost picture the look on her face right now. 'Believe me, Alina, I know exactly what I am doing.'

'You have _no_ idea what you are doing!' she growled. 'You may think that you do, but you don't.'

'I… ehm… I asked the advice of our mutual friend,' Merlin replied. 'He agreed with my plan.'

It was quite interesting to know what people say when they think you can't hear them. Not that he had any clue as to what they were talking about, but he could always find out later. That was, if he survived this. But since everyone who had been at his bedside had told him that he would, Arthur did not worry too much on that account.

'Oh, did you, now?' Alina exclaimed in a very hard and sarcastic voice. 'This just gets better and better! Friend, indeed! I am sure he agreed with your plans, but shouldn't you know by now that he has an agenda of his own? Did he tell you _exactly_ what was going to happen if you chose to go through with this?'

'Yes,' Merlin said, but it was obvious that he meant the opposite. Merlin was a very bad liar and Arthur was not the only one who noticed that.

'I thought we had an agreement on being honest with each other, Merlin.' She took a deep breath to calm herself. 'Well, we can talk about this later, I guess. I take it you found the cure at least?'

'I did,' Merlin said. 'And I'm not sure how much time there is still left…'

'Plenty of it, I do not doubt,' she replied icily. 'Come on, let's give him that cure.'

'Could you hold him up, my lady?' asked the voice of the physician. Arthur remembered now that he had heard two people entering. He had kind of forgotten that, too taken up in the argument that was going on.

Alina held him up while Gaius dripped something in his mouth. It tasted like water.

The door opened again and another voice was heard asking: 'What are you doing, physician? What are you giving him?' Arthur recognized it as his father's voice. Good heavens, it was getting rather crowded in his room.

'It's a… It's a tincture made from the lobelia plant,' Gaius answered after some hesitation. Arthur sensed that the old man was not telling the truth for some reason, maybe because he gave him something his father did not fully approve of. 'An ancient remedy for poisonous bites,' he added.

His father did not like that, most likely, as ancient most of the time had something to do with the time there was still magic in the land. They must have been desperate if they turned to remedies like that. Maybe Gaius had not been lying at first, he had just been hesitant to tell the king he had used a remedy that was not forbidden, but was very close to something that was. Still, Arthur could not get rid of the idea that he had merely drunk some water just now. There was no other taste in the liquid Gaius had given him.

His father did not seem to mind now. 'A cure?' he asked hopefully.

'We hope,' Gaius said.

'Do you really think it has some effect?'

'It's our last resort, sire,' he said, dripping another few drops into Arthur's mouth. He swallowed it. 'Perhaps you should allow him to rest.'

Resting sounded like a terrific plan. He suddenly realized he was very tired and needed to sleep. He was out before Gaius, Merlin and Alina were out of the room.

**Merlin**

'What did you think you were doing?' The door was hardly closed before Alina started to yell at him. 'Have you any idea what you have just done?'

They were back in Gaius' chambers, where they could shout at each other without the rest of the castle listening in, as it was not too close to the other inhabited parts. Gaius had taken his medicine bag with him and left the two, so that they could argue in peace.

'I got a cure for Arthur,' he answered. Merlin could not really see why Alina was so upset. Surely saving Arthur's life had been all that really mattered?

'Yes, you did. But at what price, Merlin?'

'You can stop looking at me like that, Alina,' he snapped. He did not mean to get angry, but the long journey and the lack of sleep were finally taking its toll. Not that he would have to endure that for much longer, most likely, but it did make him rather grumpy at the moment. Her not understanding did not help to improve his mood either. 'I bargained my own life.'

She threw her hands in the air. 'Argh, Merlin! That may be what you bargained for, but if that is what you get, that is another matter entirely.' The way she looked at him, so knowingly, made him feel uneasy.

'Is this another big event?' he asked.

'No, it's still the same,' she replied.

'So, you know something I don't,' he concluded.

'I very much hope that I don't, really.'

'But if you are not a part of the original legend,' he said, thinking very hard. 'Then you must have been trying to change it when you said you would be the one to go, right?'

'Very perceptive, Merlin,' she said sarcastically. 'Though I had hoped you would see the light before you cast that spell on me. And speaking of that, use magic on me again and I'll kill you, dig you up and kill you again. Is that understood?' When she was speaking in that tone it was impossible to doubt a word of what she said. He had really angered her. But this was more than just anger, though. There was fear as well. It gave him the uncomfortable feeling that by doing what he thought was right, he had jeopardized the entire future of Camelot.

'I am sorry, Alina,' he said, realizing that he actually meant it.

Her anger faded away in an instant. She sighed and sat herself down. 'Maybe I'm just overreacting. Maybe I'm only this angry because I had hoped to save everyone this emotional roller coaster that we are in for now. It seems that no matter what I do, I can't even change the legend if I want to.' She sighed again. 'And maybe I'm only so angry because the situation frightens me,' she confessed. 'Knowing the story and living in it, those are two entirely different things. Part of me wants to get out of here as fast as I can. I feel like I'm losing control over everything, including my own life.'

'Getting yourself killed for Arthur's sake was your way of getting out?' Merlin asked.

'In a way it was, I think,' she admitted. 'Though I never thought about it in that way. I wanted to make sure Arthur was all right whilst saving all of you a great deal of heartache and getting myself out of legend's way in the process.'

'But we are still on legend's way?' Merlin asked.

'For now, we are,' she said.

'And everything is going to be all right?' He really needed to be reassured now.

'Eventually, it will,' she nodded.

He sighed in relief.

'That is, as long as you do exactly as I say from now on,' she added. She sounded stern, but Merlin could see the hint of a smile on her face and he knew that, no matter what emotional roller coaster (whatever a roller coaster might be) was still to come, that they would be all right in the end.

**Hope you enjoyed it. A lot of talking, I know, but I'll try to do something about that next chapter.**

**Oh, and as always, I really love reviews. Let me know what you think!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys, another chapter. Sorry, it turned out to be a lot of talk again, but hopefully you'll find it interesting. I promise that tomorrow's chapter will have a lot of action, so please have a little more patience. And I still like to know what you think, so please review!**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Merlin and since I probably never will, I fear I will have to write that every chapter I'm writing.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Alina**

They spent the rest of the day talking. They never mentioned Arthur (only to make fun of him, but it was mild fun, out of respect to his condition), the Isle of the Blessed or anything that might remind them of what had happened and what was still to come. Merlin had tried to ask her what was going to happen, but she had refused to answer that. She was no longer sure of anything, but she thought that sharing what she knew was not a good idea.

Was it even good to know what was coming? She had always believed that it would be nice to know some things before they happened. If she had known she would be thrown back in time, she would have been able to say her goodbyes to her family and friends. But, as it turned out, she did not like having knowledge of the future one bit. It only had her worrying more than could possibly be healthy for her and most of the worrying was about things that she could not change.

There was so much going on inside her head that it felt like it could explode any second, so she decided to pay Arthur a visit. He must be awake by now and she really needed something to take her mind of everything that was going on.

'Knock, knock,' she said, whilst knocking on the door.

'Come in!' Arthur yelled back.

'I see you are looking more like your old self again,' she said when she had entered and closed the door behind her. This was very true, for Arthur, although still in bed, was sitting up, doing something Alina had never seen him do before, reading a book. 'You're reading!'

'Of course I am, I'm not an idiot,' Arthur said.

'Allow me to disagree,' she said, teasing. 'I take it you are feeling better, seen as you are sitting up and reading?'

'Gaius' remedy worked,' he agreed.

'It's not Gaius you should be thanking,' Alina said. It was only fair if Merlin finally got some credit for saving Arthur, she decided. Arthur didn't have to hear the whole story, after all. 'It was Merlin who came up with it.' She sat herself down on the chair next to his bed.

'I liked it better when you sat there.' Arthur pointed at the spot on his bed where she had sat when she was keeping watch.

Alina felt that her cheeks coloured bright red. 'So, you were aware of what was going on?'

Arthur nodded. Oh dear, he had heard all the nonsense she had been talking last night! She wanted that the ground would open and swallow her up. This was going to be embarrassing, she knew it. The look on Arthur's face made her sure about one thing: this was payback time.

'I most certainly was,' he said with a huge smile. 'You made me curious, though.'

'I would not doubt that for a minute,' she muttered.

'Ha ha!' he laughed as only Arthur could do that, making her feel even stupider. Maybe it had not been such a good idea to come here after all.

'For someone who claims she is very good friends with a certain servant, this someone can yell rather well at said servant,' he said.

Oops. He had heard far more than was even safe. Her face turned pale instead of red.

'We had a disagreement about something you do not need to concern yourself with,' she answered curtly. 'It's been solved.'

'Still, it was fun to hear,' he said, clearly amusing himself.

Something in the way he said that made her want to hit him and she had to remind herself very hard that giving him a well-deserved slap in the face would probably not do his condition any good. He had absolutely no idea what was really going on around here. He was so ignorant of how much everyone had done for him. He took it for granted that people went to extreme lengths to save him.

'You are intolerable!' she snapped.

'You are very pretty when you're angry, you know that?'

She immediately forgot that she was not supposed to hit him and gave him a slap in the face. 'There! You deserved that!'

'What for?' he demanded.

'Your ignorance!' she cried out. 'Your self-absorption! You think the world revolves around you. It wouldn't hurt you to learn that it doesn't! People have gone to the extremes to find a cure for your illness, yet you sit here, laughing!' She did not realise she got up, but when she checked, she was on her feet again. 'Have you even thought about what they all have done for you? Did it not occur to you that the very least you could do was thank them instead of laughing at them?' It was very hard to imagine that she had been ready to die for this man. What had she been thinking? The character change she knew had to come, had better happen quickly.

His eyes widened. He had clearly not been expecting this. He even looked a little scared. 'I did not mean to offend you, my lady,' he said.

'No, I'm sure you did not,' she replied icily. 'But that's my point exactly, don't you see? You need to learn to think before you act!'

After saying these words she left the room, leaving Arthur speechless.

On her way back she bumped, almost literally, into Uther. The king seemed to be in high spirits and she could understand that. His only son was going to survive. Had she been in his place, she might have felt just the same.

'Good evening, Alina,' he greeted.

'Good evening, sire,' she said. 'I take it all is well?'

'More than well,' the king replied.

'I am glad to hear that,' she said, realizing she meant it. 'Truly, I am.'

Uther smiled warmly at her. 'You have been a great support to all of us in these last few days, Alina,' he said. 'Gaius told me that you kept watch over him all night.'

'I did, sire.'

'You are too good to us, my lady.'

'I have to disagree, my lord,' she answered. 'I was only doing what everyone else would have done.'

The king shook his head, clearly determined to keep singing her praises. 'I beg to differ. Arthur told me what happened in the cave, how you single-handedly killed the beast. Your loyalty to Arthur and to Camelot is more than can be asked of anyone.'

Arthur had apparently been busy singing her praises as well. She did not know why this surprised her so much.

'Who else do I have to be loyal to, my lord, if not to you and yours? My father is dead and the family that I have left, I do not remember. The people in Camelot are all I know and I would not want to lose them.'

After saying this, she fled away, ashamed she had told so much of the truth. For it was true, every single word of it, but she was not sure if she wanted other people to know that just yet.

* * *

She woke the following morning because someone was practising a drum solo on her door.

'Come in!' she called.

Next moment Merlin burst in. 'You were right about the dragon!' he shouted. It was obvious that the young warlock was more than furious.

'Wait there,' she said, barely awake. 'What are you talking about?'

'You were right about everything!' he exclaimed. 'I can't believe I've been such a fool to think I could fix it all myself!'

'Merlin, what are you talking about?' she asked. 'What time is it?'

'It's time to get out of bed,' Merlin said impatiently.

She stepped out of her bed and found a peignoir on the chair next to her bed. 'Now go sit in that chair and tell me what has happened,' she requested. 'Slowly, mind you. I'm not quite awake just yet.'

She filled two goblets with water and handed one of them to Merlin before she sat down herself.

'Now, tell me,' she said.

'I'm not dead,' Merlin said.

'I can see that,' Alina said. She feared she already knew what was coming next. Now that she put her brain to it, she remembered what was going to happen according to the series, but Merlin could better tell it first before she jumped to conclusions. 'Who is?'

'My mother,' Merlin growled, confirming all Alina's fears. 'Well, she is not dead yet, but she…' His voice trailed off.

'She's very ill,' Alina finished. 'She is also here in Camelot.'

He looked at her with admiration and something that looked remarkably much like fear. 'You _do_ know everything, don't you?'

'Believe me, I wish I didn't,' she sighed. 'But yes, I know quite a lot. And from what you just said I take it you have already been to see the dragon and that your conversation did not go too well.'

'He breathed fire at me,' he snarled, sounding like an angry cat.

'I'm sure there was a reason for that.'

'I promised him I would let him rot away in that dark cave for what he had done,' Merlin said, not sounding sorry at all.

'Ouch.'

'He lied to me, Alina! He is prepared to sacrifice everyone I love for this so-called greater good!' Merlin burst out. 'He says we're friends, kin even! I can't stand the sight of him any longer! I will never go down there, never again!'

Alina waited until he was finished. She knew this was a promise he would end up breaking, but this was probably not the best time to tell him that. She could see how hurt and betrayed he felt by the dragon he once considered a friend and mentor. It needed time to heal, as she knew it would.

'I don't know what to do anymore, Alina,' he confessed.

Merlin sounded so helpless, that she gave him a big hug to let him know that she was there for him. 'It is all going to be all right,' she told him. 'I know it is very hard to believe that right now, but it is going to be.'

'But my mother is dying,' he said, really crying now.

She held him at arm's length. 'Do you trust me, Merlin?'

He nodded immediately. She tried not to show too much how glad she was that he did. Had she ever had a friend like this? She could not remember that she had. This alone made this whole thrown back in time and ending up in legend thing worth it. Relationships seemed to be far more intense in this time than they were in the time she came from.

'Then you believe me when I say that your mother is not going to die and that all of this is still going to work out?' she asked.

This time he hesitated, only a few seconds, before he nodded. 'I do. But I can't let my mother die.'

'You are not going to do that, I know,' she replied. 'That is why you and I go to the Isle of the Blessed tomorrow morning, first thing, to kick that Nimueh's ass and to tell her that she puts things right immediately.'

'I didn't tell you it was Nimueh I met there,' he remarked.

'No, that's just one of those things that I happen to know.'

'I'm going to have to ask her to take my life instead of my mother's,' Merlin said. There were still tears in his eyes. He tried to rub them away, but they kept coming. 'You understand?'

She nodded. 'I do.' _Though I don't think it will come to that_, she added in her mind.

'Will you be coming with me?' He sounded so vulnerable then that she automatically wanted to hug him again. She didn't do it, however. She was not sure he would let her and so she kept her distance, but she longed to put her arms around him and comfort him and tell him everything was really going to be fine and that they would all live, except of course for Nimueh who, in Alina's opinion, did not deserve to live even a day longer. That witch was responsible for so many deaths. Alina wondered how she could live with herself.

'Of course. I said so, didn't I?'

There was a sad smile on his face then. 'Thank you,' he whispered.

'You should use today to say your goodbyes,' she said. 'Let me take care of the preparations.'

'But…,' he started to protest.

She raised her hand and he fell silent. 'No buts,' she said. 'Where I come from we don't have servants to do everything for us. I'm used to doing everything myself.'

'No servants?' Merlin asked in a disbelieving tone.

'Nope,' she replied. 'That is why I would really like to see how my counterpart is doing in my time, because she is so used to people doing everything for her. Now, off you go. I'll see you in Gaius' chambers at dawn.'

**Merlin**

Merlin woke the following morning when he heard Alina entering. He had used the time he had to say goodbye to Arthur and some of his other friends, never telling them that they were goodbyes. They did not even know he was leaving today. It hurt him to see their faces and to know that they were not aware that it was the last time they saw him. But he could not tell them the truth. It was too dangerous.

The only person who did know of his plans, beside Alina, was Gaius. He had not spoken since him since yesterday and had actually planned to do that when he came back in the evening, only to find Gwen looking after his mother, telling him Gaius was gone to collect some herbs. Merlin remembered sitting with his mother, telling her that she was going to get well again and then watching her sleep. She had a smile on her face, because he was with her.

Merlin had decided it would be best if he did not tell his mother that he would leave. She would not be able to bear that. Besides, if she knew what he was planning, she would tell him not to go. She would tell him that he had a bigger destiny and that he should not give it all up only to save her.

'Merlin?' Alina's voice called. 'Are you awake?'

'Coming!' he called back as softly as he could, hoping he would not wake his mother.

He grabbed his bag and left the room.

'Morning,' Alina said in a light voice. Merlin tried not to get irritated by the tone of nonchalance in her voice. He could not think of one single reason why she would do that, but then, she had more knowledge than he did. Was there a way that he did not need to die? Was that why she seemed to be so cheerful?

'Morning,' he greeted, yawning.

'You certainly look very awake,' she remarked. 'Everything is packed and ready to go. I've even saddled the horses. I told Arthur we're going on a short trip to collect some herbs for Gaius. He was not too enthusiastic, but he promised not to make your life a living hell when you return. Oh, and speaking about Gaius, do you know where he is?'

Merlin started to say that he had no clue, but then his eye fell on a small piece of paper with his name on it, written in Gaius' writing. He walked over to it, opened it and read it. His eyes scanned the text, read the text and still he could not believe the words he saw.

'Merlin?' Alina asked. 'Are you all right? You look as pale as a sheet.'

'He. Has. Gone,' Merlin said.

'To the Isle of the Blessed,' Alina finished.

One look on her face told Merlin that she knew everything. She had known this all along. She knew Gaius would take his place. And she had let him do that! He could hardly believe Alina was so unfeeling! His anger rolled of him in waves.

'You knew it!' he hissed.

'I did,' she confirmed calmly.

Maybe it was because she stayed so calm, that he got angrier. 'You are prepared to let him die for me?' he yelled, not even bothering who would hear him now. 'I can't believe why I even liked you! You are no better than that dragon!'

He saw a flash of anger in her eyes. 'Quiet!' she shouted. She combined the word with a spell so that he really couldn't speak.

'Of course I knew, but I thought you said you trusted me. You'll have to trust me now and not give up on me when things start to get difficult. I never said it would be easy now, did I? I promised you everything will be all right and it will be. Gaius will live. Your mother will live. You will live. There is someone else who will have to die.'

She released him then. He was still not certain he could trust her. 'Who has?'

She bit her lip. 'I'm not sure that I can tell you.'

He tried not to yell at her, but he was still very angry. 'Maybe it is about time you start to trust me, Alina.'

She sighed, thinking about his words for a moment. 'You're right,' she whispered. 'Well, it's Nimueh.' And then she finally explained what legend expected of him. And then it all made sense, everything she had said and done since this waking nightmare had begun. He felt his jaw drop, but could not really care. His anger faded away. Instead he felt sorry for her now. It was obvious that knowing what had to happen had not been easy for her and that she only kept it from him, because she did not want to burden him with it.

'So, what do we do now?' he asked when she finally finished.

'What we planned all along,' she replied. 'We stop wasting time, get on our horses and race for that bloody Isle to kick Nimueh's evil ass.' They were already on their way when she said this. 'Oh, and Merlin?'

'Yes, Alina?'

'Will you please forgive me for not trusting you with my knowledge?'

He smiled reassuring. 'If you promise to never do it again.'

'You have my word,' she promised solemnly.

* * *

**Hey guys, wow, this was quite a long one. Please keep reading, there's some real action coming up. Oh, did I already ask you to review? Please do so.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys, finally some action, so I hope you will enjoy it. Writing this chapter was really not that easy. I'd like to know what you think, as always, so please review.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Merlin (obviously).**

**Chapter 12**

**Alina**

Alina did not remember ever riding so hard. They rode as hard as they could without killing their horses. If they had had more time, Alina would have enjoyed the wild beauty of the landscape around her, but there would be time enough for that on the way back. So for now she kept her eyes on the road, when there was one available, and kept going.

'We should be there before sunset,' Merlin said when they made a small stop to eat and drink and feed the horses. 'Do you think we will still be in time?'

'Gaius is not as used to riding horses as we are,' she replied. 'He must have been a great deal slower than we.'

Merlin nodded, worried.

'It will be fine, Merlin,' she said, getting up on her horse again. 'You know that, right?'

'I know.'

She supposed he did. With his head he knew, but his heart was full of fear, as was hers. What if legend decided to play tricks with them? Once again she realized how great the difference was between watching the legend from a comfortable chair with a cup of tea in her hands and sitting on a horse, racing to save Gaius, hoping and praying that they would still be in time. _Whoever said that life in past times was simpler, less complicated than in my time should be burned at the stake, hanged and burned again_, she thought furiously.

The sun had not yet set when they could finally see the Isle of the Blessed from the distance. It was everything Alina had believed it would be. She could hardly believe that the series had gotten yet another thing right. The producers must have been psychic.

'Let's hurry,' Merlin urged her on.

'You're right,' she said. 'I'm sorry. It's just that it is as I always thought it would be. To be quite honest, that freaks me out a bit.'

They went down to the shore.

'There's the boat,' Merlin pointed.

'And that's Gaius' horse,' Alina said.

They tied their horses up beside Gaius' and then walked over to the small boat. It was chilly down here. This place must have been enchanted, Alina pondered. There seemed to be mist everywhere all the time. The sun hardly ever shone on this place. Surely that was not natural.

Merlin spoke the spell and the boat started moving.

'It's so quiet,' Alina whispered, not even knowing why she did not speak aloud. It just seemed right to whisper in a place like that.

'Yes,' Merlin whispered back.

'Kind of scares me a little,' she confessed.

'Me too,' Merlin said, trying to smile, but the worry for his mentor got in the way.

_At least there are no wyverns yet_, Alina thought dryly. _Wonder where those suddenly came from in the fourth series?_ She searched the skies, but there was no living creature to be seen there.

The boat seemed to know exactly where it had to go. It halted in front of a few steps leading up to a small gate.

'Let's go,' Merlin said.

He was out of the boat first, offering his hand to Alina. She grabbed it and let him help her, but they froze in mid-motion when they heard the voice, a voice she had heard before, not in reality, but from the speakers of her television. The voice was chanting a spell. It was a cruel voice, Alina decided, a voice without mercy.

'Bloody hell!' she cursed, letting go of Merlin's hand and jumping ashore without help. 'Don't just stand there, Merlin, come on!' she shouted when she realized he was not following. He had frozen in shock, so she grabbed his hand again and dragged him with her. That seemed to wake him up and he ran with her.

When they came into the courtyard, everything was as she had seen it before: Gaius lying motionless on the ground, against the altar, Nimueh standing over him with the Cup of Life in her hands, reciting a spell.

'Stop!' Merlin yelled.

She had not seen them until now. She lowered the cup and looked at them. Her blue eyes sent a shiver down Alina's spine. This woman was truly merciless. Maybe she had been good and kind in the past, but there was nothing left of that now. Anger, hate and a desperate longing for revenge had taken root in her long ago. That was all she lived for now.

'Back again so soon, warlock?' she asked, putting the Cup on the altar, slowly walking towards them. 'And you brought company, I see.'

'What have you done?' Merlin asked. His face clearly showed that all he had feared had now come true.

'Your mother is safe,' Nimueh said in a cold, emotionless voice. She could not care less, which made Alina instantly forget that she was afraid of the witch. There was only fury now. How someone could care so little for the lives and deaths of innocent people was entirely beyond her. 'Isn't that what you wanted?' She even sounded _amused_. Alina felt her blood begin to boil.

'Have you killed him?' Merlin asked, his voice nearly breaking.

'It was his wish,' Nimueh said.

_No doubt you took great pleasure in carrying it out_, Alina thought.

Merlin lost his temper then, shouting at Nimueh how he had bargained his life for Arthur's, not anyone else'.

Nimueh seemed to get angry too. 'The Old Religion does not care who lives and who dies!' she said in a loud voice. 'Only that the balance of the world is restored.'

_The Old Religion may not care, but you certainly do_.

'To save a life, a life must be taken. Gaius knew this,' Nimueh went on, shrugging, as if it was not her fault, which it most definitely was.

'But it is not the Old Religion that has done all of this, though,' Alina said, not capable of keeping quiet any longer. 'We all know that it was you. To what purpose, I can only guess, but I am sure you did not do this to help us in any way. You never did and I doubt you ever will.'

Nimueh's gaze now settled on her. While this made her feel slightly uncomfortable, she did not show it. She looked the witch right in the eye. 'Now, you must be Alina, are you not?'

'I am,' she answered curtly.

'The powerful princess,' Nimueh continued. She made Alina feel as if she was a valuable piece she wanted for her collection and she did not like that for one bit. 'Gaius mentioned your name, along with that of the warlock.'

'I'm sure he did,' Alina said icily. 'But whatever you are planning, it is not going to work. Merlin and I were doing just fine with only the two of us. We don't need nor want you to join us, thank you very much.'

'Come, come,' she said in a soothing voice, as if she were trying to reason with a stubborn child. As it happened that tone made Alina even more angry. 'We are too valuable to each other to be enemies.'

'No!' Merlin cried out, with which Alina could only agree. Maybe they were in some way valuable to the witch, but she seriously doubted it the other way around.

'With my help Arthur will become king!' Nimueh shouted.

Merlin grabbed her hand to show Nimueh that they were a team. 'We will make Arthur king,' he said, with the emphasis on _we_. 'But you will never see that day!' He threw a fireball at Nimueh, but she caught it, absorbing it with her own powers.

'Your childish tricks are useless against me, Merlin,' Nimueh said, smiling. There was a bigger fireball growing around her hand. 'I am a priestess of the Old Religion.' And with another smile, she sent the deadly thing their way.

'Get down!' Alina screamed. When he did not seem to react, she threw herself against him, thus knocking him out of harm's way. The ball crashed into the wall behind them.

'You evil witch!' she spat out. 'Revealing your true face now, are you? We are too valuable to each other to be enemies?' she repeated, mimicking the witch's voice. 'Well, if we are so valuable, sending fiery balls our way does not seem like such a good plan, don't you think?' She was breathing heavily now, trying her hardest not to let her rage get the better of her.

'Quiet, girl!' Nimueh screamed, throwing another ball in her direction, which she managed to escape almost too easily. 'You understand nothing!'

'Oh, I understand far more than you think,' Alina said. 'For example, I understand that your part in the story is over, Nimueh. I also know that that is a choice you have made yourself. You see, I believe that people always have the chance to change their ways. And since you are obviously not planning on doing that, you leave me no other choice than to remove you before you can jeopardize Camelot's future any further. Oh, I also know that you have to work on your aim a little,' she added as an afterthought. 'Since you fail to hit me with that fireballs,' she stepped out of the way of one of those things, as if to prove her point, 'time and again.'

'You two are both creatures of the Old Religion, just like me,' the witch said. 'You should join me.'

'Says the witch who is trying to get us killed this very moment,' Alina said sarcastically. 'Forgive me, but those words sound a little untrustworthy to me.'

'We will never join forces with such selfish and cruel magic,' Merlin said.

They exchanged a quick look and Alina nodded. It was time.

'So be it then. But it's a pity,' Nimueh said. 'Together we could have ruled the world.' She sent another ball towards them, now primarily aimed at Merlin.

Alina used her magic to get him out of the way, since she was standing too far away from him to do it herself. Then she did as they had agreed on their way here. She cast a spell of immobility on Nimueh when the witch was not prepared. She got her before she could make another move.

'You are not going _anywhere_,' she told her.

Merlin got up and looked her straight in the eye. 'You should not have killed my friend,' he said in a cold voice, which did not quite sound as if it was his own.

Alina saw the first signs of panic in the witch's eyes. 'What are you doing!' she yelled, trying to mask her fear and failing.

'We are making sure that you will never be able to hurt anyone, ever again,' Alina explained. 'I am sorry for this, but you have brought this upon yourself, Nimueh. Do it, Merlin.'

Merlin looked up to the skies and held out his hand. Dark clouds moved together above the courtyard, lightning and thunder accompanying it. Nimueh looked up as well, truly scared now that she realized what was going to happen and she was not capable of stopping it, because, thanks to Alina's spell, she could not move a finger.

As the rain started to fall, Merlin lowered his hand so it was aimed at Nimueh and then the lightning struck, not once, not twice, but too many times to count. Alina shielded her eyes from the sight. She knew it was necessary, but she took no pleasure in it. Instead she kept her gaze locked on Merlin, watching his face. There was fury and grief to be seen there, but also a determination Alina knew was also visible on her own face. This _must_ be done.

She knew it was over when the explosion came. The light intensified and the loud bang even drowned out the noise of the thunder. There was a shriek and then it was over.

Alina looked at the place where Nimueh had stood, but it was empty. Relief washed over her and suddenly, even though it seemed completely out of place here, she heard a melody from her own time playing inside her head. _Ding, dong, the witch is dead…_

**Merlin**

Merlin hardly took the time to make sure that Nimueh was no more before he ran over to Gaius, fear and panic drowning out every feeling of triumph over his victory. He shook at the motionless body, calling out his name time and again. _Please live!_ he begged in silence. _Please let Alina be right about this! Please, please!_

Alina came over and knelt down on Gaius' other side. 'Time to wake up , Gaius,' she said in a soft voice. 'Come on, now. We'll catch a cold if we stay here much longer.' He voice was steady and calm. She had no doubt of everything turning out as it was supposed to. In a strange way this calmed Merlin too.

But no matter what they did, Gaius did not move and even Alina's eyes revealed a little doubt. 'Can't be,' she whispered.

At that moment Merlin started to cry, calling out his grief to the dark skies and then laying this head on the old man's shoulder, sobbing without control. How could this have happened? Alina had been so sure that nothing could go wrong and that everything would turn out okay in the end.

But this was the end and here they were, holding the dead body of their old friend in their arms, powerless. They had triumphed over Nimueh, saved Arthur and Merlin's mother, but failed in every other way. Even Alina cried, or were it just the raindrops on her face that looked so much like tears? He could see it in her eyes, the realization that she had failed. Merlin could not find it in himself to blame her. She had done what she could, he knew that now. If anyone was to blame, it was Nimueh.

'Merlin,' a voice whispered and Merlin froze. This was not Alina's voice and there was no one here with them.

'Merlin,' the voice whispered again.

He looked up and saw the most welcome sight of all: Gaius blinking against the rain, not looking very well, but very much alive.

'Gaius, you're alive!' he exclaimed, hugging him tight, his tears of grief instantly turning to tears of joy. When he looked up again he saw Alina's face, relief written all over it, renewed faith in her eyes.

'I knew it,' she said, smiling. 'I knew we were _all_ going to be fine.'

'What did you do?' Gaius demanded, the sharp edge to his voice not quite so sharp, since he was sitting in an uncomfortable pose against the altar, whilst getting almost washed away by all the rain still falling down from the skies.

'Nimueh is dead,' Merlin replied, a huge smile forming on his face as he realised what he just did. Alina told him this would happen, but he found now that he had not truly believed that until now, with Nimueh dead and Gaius very alive beside him. 'The balance of the world has been restored.' Saying those words made it more real somehow. All the pieces fell into place. This was truly meant to be.

'You amaze me,' Gaius muttered. 'You mastered the power of life and death itself! We will make a great warlock of you yet.'

'So, you believe in me now?' Merlin asked, teasing.

'Well, I would, if you could stop this blasted rain.'

Merlin realised, for the first time really, that it was still raining and that they all were soaked by now. He looked up to the sky, trying to think of a spell that would make the rain stop, but could not possibly think of one.

Alina looked at him, unbelieving. 'Merlin, you can't be serious!' she called out.

'I… I don't know such a spell!'

'Me neither!'

They looked at each other in shock and then started to laugh at the absurdity of it. Maybe it was also the relief of having done what needed to be done that made them laugh as loud and as long as they did. It felt liberating after so many days of constant stress and fear. It made him feel a whole lot lighter.

'Never mind,' Alina said when she finally got enough air to talk again. 'Just let's get out of here! Let's put some distance between us and this nasty island.'

'I'm all for that,' Merlin said.

So they both supported Gaius when they walked as quickly as they could back to the entrance. The boat still was there, waiting for its next passenger.

'Thank the heavens the boat stayed here,' Alina said. 'Imagine that we would have to swim back to shore!'

As they got closer to the shore, they noticed that the rain was very local. The heavy showers turned into a soft drizzle as they were halfway on their way to the shore and when they came to the place where they had tied their horses, it ceased to rain altogether. But when they looked back to the Isle of the Blessed, they could still see the rain and thunder raging on above it.

'Ugh, I'm soaked,' Alina complained. 'Luckily I had enough sense to bring some dry clothes with me for all of us. I think it's best if we all changed. We might catch a cold if we don't, that is, if we haven't already caught one.'

They all found a private place to change. Alina was the first to be done, so she used her magic to get a fire going, for it was cold and the darkness fell quickly now. Merlin heard her humming a strange-sounding song to herself as he entered the clearing again in which they made camp.

'What song is that?' he asked.

To his surprise she grinned at him. 'It's a song from my own time,' she replied. 'It's called _Ding, dong, the witch is dead_. It seems to be suitable for the occasion, don't you think?'

He could only stare at her first and then, when she started giggling, he had to laugh, too. 'You really amaze me, Alina!'

'Why, because I have such a good memory when it comes to songs?'

'No, because of you, who you are! Sometimes you completely seem to belong here and then the next moment you are your future self, always being faster than the rest of us, waiting until we all catch up with you before you go along and surprise us yet again!'

'I take it that is a compliment?'

'Of course it is,' he said. 'And I am really sorry if I got angry at you before. I had no right to…'

'You had every right,' she interrupted him calmly. 'I have been very stupid too and I got mad at you at several occasions, when you were only ever doing what you thought was right, doing the things you should do, according to legend. I was the one who tried to change that and I had no right to do that. So, I'm sorry and I promise you here and now that it will never happen again.'

'So, we're still friends?'

'If I have a say in it, we are,' she replied.

He smiled. 'Friends it is, then.'

And when she smiled back at him, he knew it was and that it was a friendship that would never change, no matter what the world threw at them.

**I hope you liked it. The joke with Nimueh and the song is something I didn't come up with on my own, though. I've seen it used in a Youtube-video a while ago, but I can't remember which one. Then I was working on this chapter and the idea just popped up in my head and I had to use it, because it seemed so fitting.**

**You'll have to wait a little longer for the next chapter. I'll be out of town tomorrow, so I won't have time to upload. Wednesday the next chapter will be up, and then we'll see what happens when Alina's brother decides to come to Camelot for a visit…**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys, here's the next chapter, with Alina's brother coming for a visit. Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

**Chapter 13**

**Arthur **

Arthur looked down in wonder at the group of people entering the courtyard. He had no idea who they were and what they were doing here. There were no people expected to visit Camelot any time soon as far as he knew, so the arrival of this bunch of people certainly came as a surprise.

They were of noble birth, their leaders at the very least, so he had best make a run downstairs to greet them with his father, who was already walking down the stairs to meet them.

His illness had done his condition no good. He had been quicker. This was just the reason he hated being ill. When you could not train, you grew weak and Arthur felt exactly that. He was panting by the time he reached the noble party. Oh wait, he did know their leader after all, which made the noble party a royal party.

Talking to his father was a tall, red-haired young man with a kind face and green eyes, precisely the same green Alina's eyes used to be. Prince Connor, or rather king Connor, since his father had been killed, had decided to pay them a visit.

'Prince Arthur!' the young king exclaimed when he caught sight of Arthur. 'It's good to see you are still standing.'

'King Connor,' he greeted. 'To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?'

'I wish to visit my father's grave, prince Arthur.' There was grief and sadness in his eyes. 'And I want to see my sister. Rumour has it she is not fully recovered from the attack.'

_She still hasn't got her memory back,_ Arthur wanted to say, but his father shot him a look that silenced him immediately. Maybe it was better to let his father fill king Connor in on the more delicate details. _Like the fact that his sister's eyes had turned from green to blue in an instant_, he thought.

He still did not have any explanation for that. He had asked Alina about it, but she said she could not remember a time when her eyes had not been blue. There was something not right about it, about all of it. She had become a different person since the attack. A kinder person, he decided. Maybe there was something not quite right about the whole matter, but he owed her his life. After all, she had tried to distract the beast's attention away from him in the cave and after that, she had killed it.

'Your sister is not in the castle at the moment,' Uther told the younger king. 'Arthur, where did you say that she went again?'

He had not, but it would not be wise to tell that. 'She went with the court physician and my personal servant on a short trip to collect some herbs,' Arthur replied. 'She should be back in a few days' time.'

She had said so when she came to tell him that Merlin and she would be gone for a few days. When Gaius was nowhere to be found the following day, Arthur had just assumed that he had gone with them. But it had been three days now and they should have been back by now. Arthur had given them two days. Alina had nodded and said that they would probably be back by the end of the second day. But it was now the afternoon of the third day and the little group was nowhere to be seen. _Are you trying to get yourself into trouble, Alina?_

'Find her,' his father hissed in his ear when he accompanied Connor inside. 'As quick as you can.'

Arthur went down to the stables to order that one of his horses was saddled at once. After that changed into something more suitable for riding and then he went for a food package to take with him after that. Having done these preparations, he went back to the stable for his horse. He was on his way before half an hour had passed.

If Alina had gone with Gaius and Merlin, there were only so many places she could be. Arthur never came with the physician, but he could not help to overhear some things and Merlin's chattering, although mostly useless, was on this subject a source of information.

He did not have to go far. He was only an hour away from Camelot when he heard cheerful voices. Alina en Merlin, he recognized theirs immediately. Gaius was not as vocal, but his voice could also be heard.

He came into the clearing where they sat, sorting various plants and herbs on a piece of cloth. They all looked up when they heard him coming.

Alina was the first one to be on her feet. 'Arthur!' she said in a surprised voice. 'What are you doing here?'

He dismounted. 'I could ask you the same. You were supposed to be back yesterday!'

'I did not see the need to hurry,' she replied. 'Had I known you could not live without the pleasure of my company for longer than two days, I would have made more haste.'

Merlin chuckled. For some reason this triggered his irritation.

'Are you trying to get us both into trouble, Alina?' he hissed at her.

Next thing he knew Merlin was standing between them, facing him. 'That's enough,' he said.

'_What_?'

'It's not fair to take it out on Alina,' his servant said bravely. 'It was partly my fault we are later than we expected to be. I am the one you should be shouting at.'

Alina tried to push him out of the way. 'Don't, Merlin,' she said. 'It was no one's fault. We got rained on the first day and Gaius caught a cold, but we were nowhere near Camelot, so we had to stay in our small camp the second day. We came back only today, but we had to maintain a slow pace because of Gaius. Surely you can understand that, Arthur?' She looked him straight in the eyes.

He felt like a child being lectured. He dropped his gaze, turning to Gaius, who had remained seated. 'I'm sorry to hear that. Are you all right now, Gaius?'

'He's on the mend,' Alina said decisively. 'No matter what he says, he is not as young as he used to be, so we're not rushing back to Camelot right now.'

'I am afraid you have little choice in the matter,' Arthur said. 'Your brother has arrived today and your presence is required at court.'

'My brother?' she echoed. Arthur noticed that she had turned rather pale. He also noticed that Merlin had grabbed her hand to support her. 'What does he want?'

Arthur shrugged. 'He wants to visit your father's grave and he wants to see you, of course.'

The next moment she fell to the ground, motionless.

It was hard to say who knelt down with her first: Arthur or Merlin.

'Alina?' he asked. 'Alina?'

'She has fainted,' Gaius said. 'She will come round soon. Here, lay her on the blanket. She'll be more comfortable there.'

Arthur prepared to do as the physician commanded, but Merlin beat him there. He lifted the princess up and carried her to the blanket, laying her down as softly as he could. Arthur felt a sharp pang of jealousy when he saw his servant do that. He was so careful with her, tender almost. It was as if they belonged together. But yet he could not say anything about it. Merlin gave her what she needed and he could not deny her that.

Still, there was this feeling that he should have been the one to do it. She was his fiancée after all. And he liked her, kind of. There was no denying that feeling anymore, not since he realised he was in fact jealous of Merlin, who was in her company so often. Why had life to be so complicated?

He addressed Gaius again. 'Why has she fainted?' There did not seem to be a logical explanation for this. Was she ill, perhaps?

It was Merlin who answered. 'She is scared,' he said. 'She has no memory of her brother and now that he suddenly shows up, she has no clue as to what she is supposed to do, which is something you might have thought about before you decided to tell her out of the blue.'

About a minute ago he had believed that there was nothing worse than to be lectured by his fiancée. Now he knew that there was, in fact, one thing worse than being lectured by his fiancée: being lectured by his servant.

'Merlin?'

'Yes, Arthur?'

'Shut up.'

'I'm just telling you what you might have seen yourself if you had paid attention,' Merlin defended himself.

Arthur looked at Alina's face, peaceful now that she was not aware of anything that was going on around her. It reminded him of the day when she first came to Camelot. She had been scared then, too. But still, Connor was not a man to be feared. Arthur remembered him from previous visits. Connor was a very serious young man, only a few years older than he, but he was kind. There was no other word for it. Even if Alina did not remember him, he would not get mad at her. It was not in line with his character.

She blinked.

'She is coming round,' Gaius said.

Merlin was beside her before he could even move, bending over her with a worried face. Merlin trying to be the hero, saving the damsel in distress. It made Arthur wanting to kick something very hard, preferably Merlin himself, but that would most likely upset Alina.

'Alina, can you hear me?' his servant asked softly.

She got up with some help from Merlin. 'I'm fine,' she lied, fooling no one.

'You're not,' Merlin disagreed. Why did he have to say everything Arthur wanted to say?

'Really, Merlin, it's nothing. I'm just a little dizzy. Give me a few minutes and I'll be just fine.'

'Forgive me for my thoughtlessness, Alina,' Arthur heard himself say. _What am I doing?_ 'I should have realised you did not remember him.'

She smiled. 'It's forgiven, Arthur,' she said warmly, before she got that teasing look on her face. 'But I'm surprised to hear you apologize actually. Maybe I should faint more often.'

He could not even bring himself to feel annoyed to the teasing. He could only noticed how much better she looked as the colour returned to her cheeks.

'You really do like her, don't you, Arthur?' Merlin teased.

'Shut up, Merlin.'

**Alina**

Alina could not remember to have been so nervous for anything in her life. _Don't be such a baby_, she told herself as she waited for the doors to open. _You have defeated an evil witch without getting scared out of your wits and this is only your brother! Get a grip!_

Her speech to herself did not have the desired effect and she knew why. Because Connor would immediately see that she was not his sister. She may look exactly the same, save for the eyes, but Connor and the other Alina had been very close and when it came to character, he knew all there was to know about his little sister. And in that way they were not at all alike. Connor would know. And then she would get arrested for the fraud that she was. She might even be charged with practising magic, for stealing the other Alina's body, even though she had nothing to do with that. She did not even know how it had happened. But she would get arrested and that would be the end of her. The end of her destiny.

She tried to even her breathing when she heard she was announced. There was no time to think anymore. The doors opened before her and she entered, her head raised. If she was going down, she would go down fighting. It wasn't like her to give up without a fight and she was not planning on changing that habit.

Uther was on his throne, Morgana on one side and Arthur on the other, their servants at their side. Merlin nodded and smiled reassuringly at her and she smiled back, unable not to do so. He had been such a good friend to her, she reflected. There was an unbreakable bond between them. She could not explain it. She was just grateful that there was one. Right now that smile gave her the courage to hold her head up high, even smile. She saw Arthur glance at Merlin, a look on his face that promised his servant a slow and painful death if he dared to do it again. Merlin did not seem to notice.

She now noticed the stranger, walking towards her. No, he was not a stranger to her. She knew him. He just didn't know her. She had seen him in her dreams since she was a little girl. This was Connor, the other Alina's brother. He smiled at her, his arms wide open. She smiled back, hesitating a little. Maybe it was all going to be just fine…

When they were close enough to see each other's eyes, he hesitated. Her heart stopped. He had seen. He knew.

It was only a moment. The smile returned to his face, even wider than before, which she thought was strange. He ran the last few meters and the embraced her.

'Little sister,' he said. 'It's good to see you.'

'Big brother,' she greeted, not believing her luck. He had greeted her as sister, so she could probably safely say that he was not going to betray her, even though it was obvious that he was aware of her not being his sister. 'How are you?'

'I am well,' he replied. He smiled. 'At least I have not been trying to fight an enormous beast on my own.'

She glanced at Uther, who also smiled. Looked like someone was still not tired of singing her praises. This was getting slightly annoying.

'I didn't do it on my own, exactly. Your source failed to mention I had help from two very capable men, did he?'

'My source mentioned you suffered from loss of memory,' he said, eyeing her closely.

This was a more dangerous subject. She could hear there was more to this question than just an inquiry after her health. She chose her words carefully when she answered. 'Your source seems to be right on that subject at least, but my memories are returning, very slowly, but they are returning. So I do remember you, if that's what you're afraid of.'

'That's my sister!' he laughed. 'Quick as ever.'

'It takes more than a blow to the head to take my wits away,' she joked, wondering how it could be that she did that. Connor was either as stupid as Arthur that he did not think anything about the change in eye colour or he was more open-minded than she would have believed possible.

'And I was hoping so much for a bit of peace and quiet!' he laughed.

He put an arm around her shoulder and walked with her towards the king.

'I'm so grateful for the care and love you have shown my sister in these difficult times,' he said. 'I could not have wished for better.'

'My pleasure,' she heard Arthur mutter in a voice that suggested the opposite.

Uther was saying how it was only the duty to care for members of noble families when they were in need of help and that it had been no trouble at all and that it was them that owed her a debt of gratitude. She lost focus quickly. Everything he said was so predictable, so her thoughts wandered back to the prince, who seemed to be in an exceptionally bad mood, something which seemed to have happened between the moment she fainted and the moment she woke up again. He had been sulking and taciturn on the way back, leaving her wondering what could be the reason for such behaviour.

She looked at Merlin, then at Arthur and then back at Merlin again, the question written on her face for the few who knew how to read it.

'No idea,' Merlin mouthed back. He had understood her perfectly.

Arthur caught him doing it and shot him a warning look.

It struck her then. She could not move her mouth without anyone seeing it, like Merlin, but that did not matter. Her friend had just come to the same conclusion.

'He's jealous.'

She bit on her lip to keep herself from laughing. Arthur was still thinking Merlin and she had this secret relationship going on, even though she told him this was not the case. Typical. Sometimes she did wonder if Arthur used that brain of his only on special occasions. Surely it was obvious, to anyone with a brain, that they were nothing more than close friends?

Her attention returned to the official conversation when Uther finished his speech and offered them all to come to dinner that evening. Connor accepted the invitation and that was the end of the gathering. He took her by the arm and led her out.

'Where are we going?' she asked. Connor did not hold her too tight, but she could feel that he was not going to let go anytime soon, which made her suspicious and scared, although she tried not to show that.

'My chamber,' he replied. 'We need to talk somewhere that we will not be eavesdropped on.'

Oh dear, this did not sound well. This did not sound well at all! She followed him, knowing that she had no other choice, while the panic started to set in.

**And that's another chapter done. Hope you liked it. Please review. That would completely make my day!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys, here's the next one. There is a little bit of a hunting trip later on in the chapter, so I hope that it is what you hoped it to be. Also, thanks to people who alerted, reviewed and favourited (although my computer does not think this is a word). I really appreciate that.**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Merlin.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Alina**

Connor only released her when they were in his room. Alina's heart was racing by then and she was desperately trying to calm herself down, something that was not really working. The man who was supposed to be her brother did not seem angry, but in public he had a role to play, a role that he did not have to maintain whilst in his own chamber.

'Have a seat, Alina,' he said. He did not sound unkind and she took that as a good omen.

Keeping up appearances as long as possible, she told herself. So she obeyed and even managed to do so smiling. 'Was there something in particular you wished to discuss?' she asked in an interesting voice. 'Since you were so eager not to be eavesdropped on?'

He turned to her. 'You truly are not my sister, are you?'

Keeping up appearances? There was nothing to keep up. He had already seen through her.

She tried to contradict in nonetheless. 'I'm not sure…,' she began.

He raised his hand and she fell silent. 'Don't try to deny it. I knew my sister very well and you are not her, though you are doing an amazing job if you consider what happened to you.'

He lost her there. 'I'm sorry?'

To her great surprise he started to laugh. 'Look at your face! There is no need to be afraid.'

'Isn't there?' she asked, unsure.

'No need whatsoever,' he reassured her. 'Now, I am curious, when did the change happen?'

Her jaw dropped. He actually knew about this? 'You know?'

He sat himself down on one of the other chairs. 'I'm sorry. You are confused. You did not know how you came to be here?'

She had to take the risk and trust him. Seen as he already knew so much, she might as well tell him everything. 'It's difficult to explain,' Alina said. 'I don't know how much she has told you.'

'My sister told me that she was sometimes "visited", by lack of a better word, by someone from another time, usually when she hit her head, which happened to be quite often. She found out that the time you came from was a better time to live, so she started searching for a way to swap bodies. Shortly before she left for Camelot, she told me she had found a spell that would do the job. She told me that I would not see her ever again. Seeing as you are here and she is not, I take it she succeeded.'

Alina could not believe her ears when she heard that. 'It was no coincidence,' she whispered.

He looked at her interesting. 'You thought it was?'

'There did not seem to be another explanation,' she replied. 'I had these dreams when I looked through her eyes for as long as I can remember and I sometimes took over the control as well for several minutes, so when your sister was attacked and was knocked out, and I was knocked in, I thought it was just like the other times, with the small exception that this time she had hurt her head so hard that she just could not come back. It was an explanation that did make sense a little.' She pondered this a while. 'She used a spell to make us switch bodies, which means she must have my life now. She stole my life.'

'She said she would inform you of her plans,' Connor said. 'I really should not have been surprised that she didn't.'

Alina had to work her hardest to say that this behaviour was indeed completely in line with his sister's character, seen as she had obviously been trying to get her killed by not even hiding the magic books and objects. She did not do it. The other Alina was Connor's sister after all.

'The look on your face tells me that you are not surprised either,' Connor remarked. 'I don't know how well you knew her…'

'Quite well,' she answered in a cool voice. 'And I am sorry to tell you, but I was not so fond of her.'

They sat in silence for a while. 'So, what now?' she finally asked.

'Is this you trying to ask me if I will keep your secret?' Connor asked. He even sounded _amused_! Of all the reactions that she had anticipated, this had most certainly not been among them.

'In part,' she replied.

'Of course I will,' Connor promised. 'I don't think Uther would be thrilled to find out that the fiancée of his son had magic and is in fact not the real princess Alina.'

'That would be a shortcut to the executioner's block,' Alina agreed.

'So, what is the path you see for yourself here?' he asked. 'Do you want to stay in Camelot or did you hope to return home with me?'

'This may sound crazy, but I think it's best if I stayed here,' she replied. She did not even have to think on this one.

He nodded. 'I had hoped you'd say that. You see, as it happens, the kingdom needs that marriage between you and Arthur to go through.'

Her face fell. 'You can't be serious, Connor.'

'I'm sorry, Alina.'

'Ugh!' she said, feeling disgusted. 'Connor, have you seen what a jerk he is?'

'He can also be very kind.'

'If he feels like it, which is not very often, the way I heard it.'

Connor may be her brother of sorts, but he was also the king and she sensed there was no arguing about this.

'You have to, Alina.'

'It seems I have to tell everyone here the same, over again,' she muttered. 'I am not going to be the person responsible for changing the legend.'

'Legend?' Connor echoed.

'Oops,' she said, blushing.

'What legend?' Connor demanded.

'This is going to sound crazy,' she warned him.

'I'm used to that by now.'

'Well,' she started, hesitating. 'Everything that's happening here, including the whole business with the questing beast, in my time, where I come from, that's a famous legend. I am not in it for some reason. But in the legend it is said that Arthur is destined to marry someone else.'

Connor's jaw had dropped. 'What…?' He did not seem capable of speaking a complete sentence.

'I'm not sure what it means either, but the dragon says…'

'The dragon!' Connor yelled.

'If you scream a little louder, the king will hear that as well,' she remarked dryly.

'Please tell me you have not gone down to talk to that monster.' He was all kingly now, and he was certainly not a very amused king, an angry one more like.

'He's not a monster,' she disagreed. 'But he's not known for giving straight answers, I have to admit. Anyway, he seems to think I'm destined to change legend as I know it. By marrying Arthur,' she added miserably.

Connor fell back in his chair. 'Good heavens,' he whispered.

'Say that,' she muttered.

'So, where does that leave us?' Connor wondered.

It struck her then. 'I have an idea. You are going to tell Uther to put off the wedding for at least another year, giving me the chance to regain my memories, or that's the story. In reality it will be so that I can figure out what to do with this mess. That way your precious treaty will not be endangered in any way.'

'And after that year?' he demanded.

'I don't know now,' she admitted. 'I hope to know then.'

**Arthur**

'How bad was it?' Arthur heard Merlin whisper to Alina. They were in the courtyard, preparing the horses for the upcoming hunt. Merlin pretended to help Alina check her horse, but Arthur had not been fooled by that. And here they were, confirming all his suspicions.

'Not as bad as it could have been, I guess,' Alina replied in the same, hushed voice. 'He seemed to know everything already, so he did not freak out. He thought it quite amusing, actually.'

'Amusing?' Merlin echoed.

Arthur decided to wait a little while longer before breaking up their tête-a-tête. He had been dying to find out more about their relationship ever since he had heard them arguing when he was supposed to be unconscious. It seemed quite interesting to him.

'Don't ask,' she said, sounding annoyed. 'He still wants me to marry Arthur, though.' She caught Merlin's look, which Arthur could not see. 'Not a word,' she warned him. 'It's not funny.'

'I never said it was.'

'You were going to say something I so _not_ need to hear right now. Anyway, I have been able to persuade him to put it off for at least a year, while I try to find a solution to this problem.'

Arthur also knew about this. It looked like Alina did really not want to marry him. In a way this was a relief, for he still did not feel comfortable in her presence, but at the same time it had been a disappointment too, because this meant that she did not like him. This saddened him, because in the last few days he had to face that he actually did like her. Him being jealous of Merlin had been proof enough of that.

'What are you going to do when the year's over?' Merlin demanded. 'You can't run from destiny forever, Alina.'

_Big words, Merlin_, Arthur thought. _Do you even know what they mean?_

Alina did not seem to mind his choice of words. 'I know that. That doesn't mean that I can't try, however, hoping the problem will solve itself. A year may be just what I need.'

_What on earth?_ Arthur thought. _What are you planning on, Alina?_

'And if it's not?' Merlin asked.

She shrugged. 'I have no idea. Maybe I have to marry him, then. But I hope not. I told you before, Merlin…'

'You don't want to change anything, I know,' Merlin finished.

'I have managed not to do it up till now,' Alina continued stubbornly. 'It will be hard, but I also think it's possible. No future is written in stone.'

Did she detest the idea of marrying him really that much? That knowledge stung more than he wanted to admit, even to himself. It was time to interrupt them. He wasn't sure he could bear to hear another remark of hers on how she hated to get married to him.

'Don't you have other and better things to do, _Mer_lin?' he said in a loud voice.

The pair of them looked up, startled.

'Arthur!' they said at the same time.

'Get your sorry ass out of here, Merlin,' Arthur all but growled at his servant.

'Whatever you want, your highness,' he said.

'Now, Merlin.'

Merlin understood there was no joking around now, so he just walked away quickly, glancing nervously over his shoulder.

'Why are you doing that?' his fiancée said in a very disapproving voice.

'What?' he asked, defensive.

'Shout at him like that,' she clarified. 'He has done you no wrong, surely.'

'Apart from being the most clumsy and lazy servant I have ever known,' Arthur said. _And stealing time with my fiancée._

She snorted. 'That is no reason to be so unkind to him,' she said.

'I told him to stay away from you,' he said. 'His disobeyed my orders.'

'Good heavens, Arthur!' she exclaimed. 'How many times do I need to say it before it gets into that thick skull of yours? We are not lovers. We are friends and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. When I came here, Merlin was the only one who really understood what I was going through. He was kind to me and that's not something that can be said about you, Arthur Pendragon.'

'So, if I had been kind to you then, you would have liked me better?' The words left his mouth before he had given them permission to do so.

'Who knows,' she said, before turning her back on him.

* * *

The hunt was not too bad, Arthur reflected when they were on their way back to Camelot. He had done a good job keeping Merlin away from Alina, giving him as many chores as he could think of. Alina stayed mostly in Connor's company, laughing and talking. He supposed he preferred that to her talking with Merlin, even though he did not like it one bit that she obviously avoided his company.

Her hunting skills had every bit as good as he had feared. She did not take great pleasure in killing defenceless animals, but she excelled in it. Her arrows hit the animals without exception straight in the eye or heart, her spear never missed. It was depressing to see. There had been one time that they had both shot an arrow at the same rabbit. His had gone straight at it until the very last moment. All of a sudden the wind had come up, sending his arrow past the animal, who had done a run for it. It did not get far. Alina's arrow took it down before it had run five meters. Merlin appeared to think this was very funny, as did Alina. He had grinned widely at her. She chuckled before quickly turning her head away, so no one would notice her laughing.

He solemnly promised himself to never take her out on a hunt again. He was not sure his self-confidence could suffer another blow. She took it down, one bit at a time. First it had been the duel, then it had been the so-called questing beast and now it was hunting.

'You do not look to be in a very good mood,' a familiar voice observed beside him.

'Alina!' he called out, startled.

'You're learning,' she remarked.

'Learning what?'

'Not calling me by my title,' she clarified. She took a deep breath. 'I feel that I have to apologize,' she said. 'I was rude earlier, before we left. It does not change my opinion on how you treat Merlin, but I should have told you in a different way.'

'I should not have gotten angry with him, perhaps,' Arthur said politely. She clearly expected it of him.

She shook her head, smiling. 'There is no need to be jealous, you know. Merlin would never do such a thing to you. He knows very well that I am supposed to marry you. I don't think he even looks at me like that.'

'But you are always together,' Arthur complained.

She laughed. 'You're really rather sweet when you're jealous, Arthur Pendragon. But I assure you, there is nothing more going on between Merlin and me than just friendship.'

He chose his next words carefully. 'So, is there any chance you and I might ever become friends?' he asked in a tone that he hoped was not too interesting.

He should have known better than trying to fool the Lady Alina. 'You really are jealous, aren't you?'

He had no choice now but to confess. 'Is it really that obvious?'

She nodded. 'Pretty much, yes. And as for the being friends matter, I guess we could always try.'

'I thought you disliked me,' he blurted out, surprised at her answer.

This was in some way funny to her, because she laughed. 'Oh no, I don't dislike you!' she exclaimed. 'I don't like you exactly either. But I see in you the man who you will become, when you learn to be not to be such a… well, such a prat, to say it with Merlin's words. That's enough for me to at least make an effort for it.'

'So, from now on, we're friends?' he summarized.

She offered him her hand and he shook it, as if they were making a deal. 'Friends it is, then.'

They had only just released each other's hands when the bandits attacked.

* * *

**Hopefully this is the cliff-hanger I wanted it would be. Bandits are going to attack further tomorrow…**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys, Here's the next chapter, quite a long one this time. Hope you like it. Please review to let me know.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Alina**

For a moment she was frozen in shock. She wanted to do something, either run or fight, but her body simply refused to obey her commands. She all too clearly remembered her last encounter with bandits, which had ended with her lying unconscious on the ground. The memory paralyzed her.

All around her people were now fighting, but Alina could see that they were outnumbered. They were only a small party and their attackers were with at least twenty men, outnumbering them two to one. That did not make their chances at surviving this look any better.

Then, out of the blue, she remembered that it was a blow to the head that had sent her into this time. Maybe it would take another, equally hard blow, to get her out again. In that case she would only have to sit and wait for a bandit to do the job. She would be home again, see her family and friends again, live her life as she had always planned it. Everything could go back to normal. Her heart almost overflowed with joy.

'Aah!' Arthur cried out and his voice brought her back to reality.

The prince of Camelot had been knocked of his horse and lay now helplessly on the ground, with three bandits approaching him.

There was no time to think. She just acted and by doing that she lost the only chance she was going to get to get back home.

'Get away from him,' she growled at them, dismounting. There was no reason why she would make herself an easier target than she already was. High on her horse it would be almost too easy to hit her. She was not going to give them that advantage.

They only laughed, which infuriated her more. 'And who are you that you think that you can stop us?' the biggest and hairiest of them laughed.

Alina found herself measuring him, searching for possible weaknesses. She found that he had none. This realisation should have made her run. Instead, she kept her ground, grabbing her sword with both hands.

'You'll find out soon enough if you don't get the hell out of here right now,' she threatened, sounding calmer than she felt. She might be good at fighting, but she was not sure she could take on three of these huge, muscled guys. There was however no reason to show her doubt to these brutes.

Arthur was still lying on the ground, blood on his face and evidently in no condition as to contribute anything to the fighting. She was alone in this.

'Run, Alina,' Arthur moaned.

'Shut up, Arthur,' she told him.

'Your boyfriend seems to have more sense than you,' the first man laughed. 'Get out of here while you still can, girl. Our quarrel is not with you.'

'As long as you have a quarrel with him, your quarrel is also with me,' she replied in a determined voice, realising this was the truth. She had chosen not to take the only chance she might ever get of getting back to her own time. She had given that up to protect Arthur. She knew in that moment that this action defined her: this was who she was, who she was born to be. As she accepted her destiny, she suddenly felt stronger, more confident of herself and her powers, both physical and magical. She could do this.

They started to laugh. They obviously did not take her seriously. She grinned back at them. She would show them what exactly it was that they were laughing at.

She had watched the show often enough to know that a falling branch would do the job of finishing off an attacking bandit rather nicely. She took one second to make sure that Arthur wasn't looking her way and then looked at the tree. With a lot of noise one of its big branches broke off, crashing down to the ground, taking the tallest of the bandits with it in its fall.

She was sure that Arthur had seen nothing, the other bandits however had. Their eyes had widened in disbelief. 'You…'

'I suggest you be on your way,' she said calmly.

They seemed to decide that they had better fight her together than risk her using her magic again. They came at her, roaring in anger over the demise of their friend, and there was no more time to think. There was only the rhythm of this dangerous dance, chanting in her head and heart. She did what her body wanted her to, choosing to let it happen, while paying attention to what she did as well, in the hope of understanding it better.

She was surprised to find that she was actually doing rather well against the two hairy brutes. She was a whole lot faster than them, which gave her an advantage. Their slowness was their weakness, she discovered and she was determined to use this as best she could.

She had managed to place herself between Arthur and the bandits.

'You can still walk away from this,' she told them, panting.

They laughed. 'So can you, girl.'

'Leave her alone,' Arthur moaned, trying to get up. By the way he looked through his eyes Alina could tell that he was too dizzy to be of any help to her. _Too hard to just wait and let the girl do all the work, eh?_ she thought. His stupid pride was going to get him killed if he carried on like that.

The bandits almost rolled on the floor laughing when he said that. It was too easy to see that Arthur was in no condition to fight anyone right now.

'You heard my boyfriend,' she said, turning their attention towards her, rather than the injured Arthur. 'You're supposed to leave us alone. You can better go before I kick you back into whatever pit you crawled out of.'

They attacked her again, but she expected it this time. She had taken her own precautions before they could move. The first man suddenly tripped over what appeared to be his own feet, but what really was a small branch lying on the ground. It could be very well possible that this branch had lifted itself up a few centimetres, but no one had really seen. The second suddenly felt his sword burning hot in his hand, causing him to drop it, leaving him defenceless. Alina was at them before they had fully realised what happened. She killed them without second thought as swiftly as she could.

Only when this threat was gone she took the time to look at her surroundings. The fighting was over. They had won. Two of the guards were injured and Connor's personal bodyguard lay dead at the ground, but all people of importance seemed to have made it through alive and more or less unscathed. Arthur was the less unscathed of course. He had collapsed again, lying on the ground, holding his head with both hands, moaning.

'You're behaving like a girl, Arthur,' she told him, kneeling down beside him.

'Ow, my head,' he groaned.

'Let me look at it,' she said.

Arthur removed his hands, revealing the bloody mess underneath. She really didn't need to be a doctor to know that this was not right. He should not have walked. He should not be moved.

It hit her then, what she needed to do. Almost immediately she knew it was madness even to try. If anyone saw her do it, she would get herself killed. Once she started to sum up the objections in her mind as to why this could not be a good idea, they kept coming. Her knowledge of magical healing was very limited, let alone when she had to cast the spell in her mind, to prevent that anyone noticed what she was doing. Oh, and of course she had to perform magic with all of the most important people of the realm watching. She did not have a death wish, but then, neither did Arthur. And it was her destiny to protect him after all.

That decided it for her. This was a risk she would have to take. And if Merlin could do this and get away with it time and again, so could she. So she took a deep breath and changed her position just a little, so she had her back turned towards the rest of the hunting group.

'Not good,' she decided. 'Wait, I'll pour some water over it, to clean the wound. Hand me your hipflask, will you?'

He gave her what she asked for. 'How bad is it?' he demanded.

'I'll be able to tell you when I've cleaned the wound,' she replied in a determined voice. 'There's a lot of blood here, but that doesn't mean that the wound is very serious, you know.'

She glanced quickly over her shoulder, noticing that the rest of the party was back on its feet, preparing to come to them. She had to hurry.

She caught Merlin's gaze then. 'Distract them,' she mouthed at him. If she was going to do it, she had better do it good, but to do that, she needed more time.

Luckily Merlin had always been rather good at lip-reading. He gave her a nod. The next moment he made quite a show by falling down, screaming.

'What's that?' Arthur asked in an alarmed voice.

'That's Merlin being Merlin,' Alina replied. 'Tripped over his own feet most likely. Okay, I'm going to clean the wound now. It might sting a little, but try to hold as still as you can, right?'

His body tensed in anticipation of the pain he expected to come.

'Keep breathing, Arthur,' she reminded him.

She took one last moment to check if she still knew the spell. She had only practised this twice before on little injuries Merlin had. Both wounds had been smaller than this one and her first try had not gone too well. But there was not much of a choice and she still needed to hurry up. She had no idea how long Merlin could hold them up.

'Right, hold still,' she commanded and then she poured the water over his head. She then focused with her entire being on the words of the healing spell, willing them into reality. She could not dare risk whisper them out loud, not so close to Arthur. For one so hurt, his mind was very clear. There was no doubt he would hear if she said the words, so she cast the spell with her mind, over and over again, until the water ran out.

Only then did she allow herself to look at the wound again. No, not the wound, what was left of the wound. Relief washed over her when she realised that she had done it. Al that was left now was a scratch and with the blood washed away, that did not seem like much either.

'That stung,' Arthur complained, interrupting her happy, joyous thoughts over her small victory.

'It's supposed to sting,' she said. 'And to be quite honest, I don't know what you were going on about. It's a mere scratch. You hardly even see it.'

Arthur could not see the side of his own head of course, but he could touch it. 'It felt like my brains were bursting out,' he said. 'How have you fixed that up?'

'You must have felt the blood, that got mingled with your hair, which made you think it was your brains,' she replied in a voice that she hoped was as determined and relaxed as she thought it sounded. Could it be possible that he had noticed something of what she was doing? Since when was Arthur so perceptive? It was best to get his attention away from this dangerous subject as soon as possible. 'And if it was your brains you felt before, than it's likely that I've washed them away. In that case they must be on the ground somewhere. Do you care to look?' she joked.

'And make me look a total idiot?' Arthur growled.

She shrugged. 'Morgana seems to think you don't need anyone's help to look like a total idiot.'

Her distraction had the desired effect. The prince turned his head towards her. 'Have you been gossiping about me, Alina?' he asked in a very annoyed voice.

She offered him her sweetest smile, thus confirming his worst suspicions.

'This just gets better and better!' he exclaimed.

'That was before I decided I would try to befriend you,' she pointed out, not completely comfortable with him being angry with her. 'And since I don't do gossiping about my friends, you should be safe from now on.' She smiled at him again. 'Come on, let's get back to the rest. To tell you the truth, I don't feel safe around here anymore. I've got a feeling there could jump bandits out of the bushes any minute now.' She stood up and offered him her hand.

'I can stand up on my own, Alina,' he told her, still irritated.

'I was just being kind,' she informed him. 'Making up for my rudeness earlier, you know.'

He grinned. 'I'd like that.'

Somehow she got a feeling that he meant what he said. She also got a feeling that she liked his change of heart a bit more than was good for her or legend.

**Merlin**

Uther insisted that Gaius looked at the scratch on Arthur's head when they came back. Arthur had protested, assured his father that there was really no need for that, but the king would not hear of it. Since Arthur had almost died, the king had grown very overprotective. And that was probably still an understatement, Merlin pondered as Alina and he accompanied the not-so-injured prince to Gaius' chambers.

'I'm fine,' Arthur complained.

Strangely so. Merlin could have sworn that Arthur was seriously injured during the attack, but since he had been nowhere near him, he could not make sure. The best he could do was run and hide and wait until the attack was over. He may have helped some of the bandits in tripping over their own feet and in suddenly dropping their weapons, but not much else. He had hid himself in a tree.

This had however given him the opportunity to watch Arthur and Alina. His new best friend had fought like a lioness to protect Arthur, succeeded in killing all three of them without help, though Merlin suspected it was no mere luck that had allowed her to do so. She must have been using a few magic tricks and she had done so without being seen.

Then he had seen how she tended to Arthur's wound. He had come out of his safe tree by then, so he was on the ground when Alina looked at him, pleading with him to distract the rest of the group, so he was sure there was some magic involved. He had screamed and pointed to the bushes, which had gained him everyone's immediate attention. He told them he thought he had seen a bandit, which he had. He failed to mention, however, that this bandit was, thanks to a suddenly falling branch, already dead. By the time the knights had found that out, Alina and Arthur were both on their feet again, walking over to them, inquiring what was going on here.

'You hit your head pretty hard, Arthur,' Alina said in a soothing voice. 'Your father is only worried for you. It's only natural. Let Gaius watch your head. It will put his mind at rest.'

'So, you don't think there is anything wrong with me?'

'You seem fine, but then, I am no physician,' she shrugged. 'You could have a concussion for all I know. Not that I think you have one,' she added when the prince shot her an angry look.

They entered Gaius' chamber. The old physician was already busy treating one of the other injured men. He told him not to use his left arm for some weeks, before sending him away and turning to them.

'Which one of you is hurt this time?' he asked.

'Arthur is,' Merlin said.

'Am not,' Arthur disagreed in a loud voice.

'Could someone tell me what's going on?' Gaius asked.

'Arthur's head was hit in the attack,' Alina explained quickly. 'It's only a scratch, but Uther's freaking out, so he wants you to look at it.'

Merlin admired the way she fixed this. She got Arthur to accept Gaius looking at the wound, whilst at the same time giving him the idea that she did not believe it was necessary. She was diplomatic enough to be queen, Merlin thought. The dragon had been right about her destiny. If there was any woman on earth that would make a good wife and queen to Arthur, it must be the future-born woman.

'Well, you better sit down, then,' Gaius said, beckoning for Arthur to take the nearby chair.

He touched Arthur's head a few times, a frown on his forehead.

'What exactly happened?' the physician asked.

'Got hit with the back of a sword and fell of my horse,' Arthur summarized. 'Really, it's nothing.'

'So it seems,' Gaius said, looking intensely at Merlin, as if he had something to do with it, which, in this case, he hadn't. 'Remarkable.'

'Remarkable indeed,' Alina agreed. 'It could very easily have been worse, right, Gaius?'

Merlin noticed that she delivered this line in a very confident and almost smug way. She was really pleased with herself. If she had been a cat, she would have purred. She really had done it, then. She had healed Arthur, leaving only a small scratch as proof of the fact that the prince had been hit and to cover her tracks. People might have grown suspicious if Arthur had had no injury whatsoever, but now, people only said that he had been extremely lucky.

'Indeed,' Gaius said, sensing the double meaning. 'You can go, my lord,' he told Arthur. 'I can find no damage.'

'Told you so,' Arthur muttered.

He left the room, leaving Merlin, Alina and Gaius.

'What have you done?' Gaius asked angrily, to Merlin's surprise the anger was turned towards him.

'Nothing, I swear!'

'It wasn't him,' Alina said. 'I did.'

'You… you…,' Gaius stammered. 'You never cease to amaze me, Alina! Did you realise you could have been seen?'

'I knew that would not happen,' she replied calmly. 'I asked Merlin to distract the others and he did a very nice job.'

'You two are lucky your heads are still on your shoulders!'

'I'd say Arthur is very lucky to still have his brains inside his head,' Alina commented. 'Though he did think for a moment that I had washed them away,' she added, grinning. 'I almost got him looking to the ground to check that they hadn't.'

'You had?' Merlin laughed.

'He thought I wanted to make him look like a fool, so he didn't. For a moment I thought he was on to me, though, but I managed to distract him with my little joke and that was the end of his suspicion.'

The other injured man came in then, so they had to end their conversation. Merlin and Alina decided to go for a walk.

Merlin noticed that his friend was all of a sudden not so talkative anymore. There was a distant look in her eyes.

'Are you all right?' he asked when they were outside.

She sighed. 'Just a little sad, that's all.'

'Do you want to talk about it?'

'When we were in the fight, for a moment I thought that if one of those bandits knocked me on the head again, that I might get back to my own time. Yes, it's silly, I know. I don't even know if it would have worked…' There was one single tear in her eyes. 'But I just wanted to see them all so badly, my family, my friends. I really believed it could be possible. So I decided that I was going to wait, to test my theory.'

That could not be all of the story. 'But when I looked at you, you were fighting. What changed your mind?'

She smiled a little sad smile. 'Arthur. When I saw that he was in need, I could not go through with it. It was like an instinct, literally _forcing_ me to protect him.'

'That's destiny,' Merlin said.

She nodded. 'I know. It doesn't change my regrets over never seeing my loved ones again, though. But this is where I belong, I know that now. First I rushing out to protect Arthur, then healing him with magic…' She sighed again.

'You really did it, then,' Merlin said.

'I wasn't sure that I could until I did it,' Alina confessed. 'I had to cast the spell without saying the words aloud, so I had no idea if it would even work. But luckily it did.' She shrugged. 'I don't know what I was worrying about. It was easy really.'

'You. Did. Not. Say. The. Words?' Merlin echoed.

She shook her head. 'Nope.'

'You're really powerful,' Merlin said, amazed. 'I can't do that half of the time. Takes a lot of time to learn.'

'You can move objects without using a spell,' she disagreed.

'I can't heal people the way you did Arthur. Heaven knows I am no good at healing.'

'Maybe that's my speciality,' she suggested. 'Arthur could use that, I guess. You keep his butt out of trouble, while I make sure he heals when he accidentally gets himself hurt again. Sounds to me like we'll make a great team.'

'Sure,' Merlin agreed, having arrived at that conclusion much earlier than she.

Alina did not listen, however. She was looking at a group of men crossing the courtyard. 'Merlin, who are those men?' she asked.

Merlin shrugged. 'Just some men who are kind of treasure-hunting below the castle. Uther thinks there are riches to be found there.' He caught sight of her expression then. 'What? Is that another of your big events?'

'They are not _my_ big events,' she corrected him. 'And is not a big event yet, but it will be.' She looked at the men again. 'Very soon it will be.'

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it. Please review.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys, that's chapter 16 already. Time flies when you're having fun and I was having a lot of fun writing this, so please enjoy and review!**

**Disclaimer: The BBC still owns Merlin, I don't.**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Merlin**

'Merlin!' Arthur called.

Merlin tried to bite back his irritation at being called back just when he was ready to leave and perhaps get hold of some supper. It had been a very long day and he longed for some peace and quiet, and maybe some sleep. Arthur was safely in bed, so you should think that he would be done giving him chores. Apparently not.

'MERLIN!' the prince shouted.

He burst back into Arthur's chambers to find his boss out of bed, a very annoyed look on his face.

'Yes, sire?' he asked, knowing it was a very good idea to be polite when Arthur was in such a bad mood.

'Are you deaf?' Arthur asked.

It was very tempting to say that he was or that he wished he was, so that he didn't have to hear Arthur complain all day about all the noise the miners were making. He himself didn't even hear it anymore after the first week, but the prince was still not used to it, as were many other members of the royal household.

'I want you to go down there and tell them to stop,' Arthur said. He did sound tired.

Merlin immediately wished he had pretended to be deaf. 'But they are working under the king's orders!' he protested. And it was no good idea going against the king, unless you wanted to end up in the stocks of course, but Merlin was not sure that he was in the mood to be bombarded with rotten fruit.

'Yeah,' Arthur admitted.

Merlin wanted to breathe out in relief.

'And you're working under mine,' the prince added.

Oops. There was no way he could out of this now, not with Arthur being in the mood he was in right now. He would have to go down there and convey Arthur's message, risking the king's wrath. But if he didn't, he risked Arthur's, so then he'd rather opted for the king's.

'Ugh,' he muttered under his breath, running out of the room, while Arthur got himself into bed again. He was sure to end up in the stocks for this. Or rather, Arthur should end up in the stocks for giving the actual order, but since that was not going to happen, Merlin would have to take the blame. Well, at least rotten fruit didn't hurt as much as Arthur's helmets and goblets.

He amused himself with the mental picture of Arthur in the stocks on the way down. These little pictures gave him exactly what he needed to bear yet another example of Arthur's arrogant behaviour.

He took a torch and walked further down to the place where the miners were working. Treasure-hunting, Merlin had called it when Alina had asked about it, and that was exactly what it was. But the king was obsessed with the idea of finding riches below the castle, after reading some kind of fairy tale, and so it came that for the last three weeks the noises from down below had become everyone's constant companions.

As he reached the spot where the actual work was being done, he was met by dozens of scared, sometimes screaming, miners, headed only in one direction: towards the entrance, out of this filthy place. Merlin stood beside and watched them run, flee away from something they had seen.

The wisest course of action would be to leave, get to bed and forget about this strange affair. The noises had stopped and that was all Arthur cared about. He didn't care how Merlin managed it, though, in this case he had done nothing.

Merlin was, however, not the person to follow the wisest course of action. His curiosity won from the fear and he proceeded, the torch held in front of him like it was some kind of weapon. It was very quiet. Everyone had gone, but what were they so afraid of? There was no one down here.

He found the entrance to the tomb very easily, slowly walking into it. He was not afraid of graves. Maybe the other men had been, the superstitious idiots. There was no one here either, so Merlin decided that it would indeed be best if he just left and let other people take care of whatever what was going on here.

He was on his way back to the corridor that led here, when he noticed that he was not alone. Next to the actual grave sat one of the miners on his knees, as if he were praying. He sat perfectly still, not moving and Merlin could not see him breathe either. For a moment he wondered if it would be best to leave the man to his prayers and go back without disturbing him. But then he thought that the man could possibly know what was going on and he changed his mind.

'Hello?' he said, hesitating.

The man did not react. Normal people would have given him some sign that they noticed him, if only they would turn their head, or jump up for being startled. This man did no such thing. He only sat there, unmoving. There was something very unnerving about that.

Taken into account the scared men he had seen and then this still man, he really could better be heading back, he told himself, but he did not act upon this feeling. All he did was lay his hand on the man's shoulder, but when he softly shook it, to get his attention. When he did that, the man fell sideways to the ground, revealing a face that was scared to death. It was also a face that seemed to have turned to stone.

This time Merlin really did run, as fast as his legs could carry him. He knew exactly what was going on here: this was the big event Alina had referred to some weeks ago. When they had seen the miners in the courtyard she had predicted that very soon this treasure-hunt would lead them to a new event that she obviously knew everything about. She had not spoken of it after that and Merlin wasn't sure that he wanted to know, so he hadn't asked. But now it had happened and now he did want to know.

He ran straight for her chambers, bursting in without bothering to knock. The darkness in her room disorientated him a little, so he slipped and stopped only just in time to prevent him from colliding with the table.

'Who's there?' Alina called, getting out of bed and grasping a sword, before she realised it was him, and then she was irritated. 'Merlin!' she called out in a tone that could rival Arthur's when he was angry. 'What are you doing? Is it too much to ask that you knock before you enter?'

'I… eh… I…,' he panted.

She caught his expression then for the first time and changed her tune. 'You look like you've seen a ghost, Merlin,' she commented, worried. 'Are you all right? Here, sit down.'

She offered him a chair and Merlin gratefully took it. Alina closed the door behind him, then magically lighted some candles and poured them both some water.

'Here, drink,' she said, offering him a goblet. Merlin could not fail but notice how Arthur would never allow him to drink from one of his own goblets let alone offer him one, because he was a servant. Alina never seemed to bother with those things. She treated him, and every other servant in the castle, as her equal. This had gained her the love of almost every citizen in Camelot, doing something in a few weeks' time that Arthur had not managed in his entire life.

'Slowly,' she warned him. 'If you drink too fast, you'll get hiccups. Did you have supper yet?'

Merlin shook his head. 'No time.'

She snorted disapprovingly. 'Arthur makes you work too hard. You should eat.' She walked over to another table, filling a plate with bread and some fruit. 'Here, take this. And then tell me what happened.'

'Arthur sent me down to tell the miners to stop,' Merlin started his tale.

This had Alina laughing. 'Couldn't sleep, could he?'

'No,' Merlin said. 'So, when I got down there all the miners ran away, scared out of their wits, so I went exploring.'

'Typical,' Alina said, sounding amused. 'Other people run away from something dangerous, you walk straight to it. Don't you have any sense of self-preservation?'

He shrugged.

'I take it you found the tomb than?' she asked matter-of-factly.

'So you really do know about it?' Merlin asked. Even though he knew Alina's knowledge was very great, it still came as a surprise every single time she knew something she could not possibly have known if there was nothing more to her than just the princess, who had lived in this time her whole life.

'I also take it you found a dead miner in there, kneeling next to the tomb?' she went on, thus confirming all his suspicions about what she knew. She even knew about the pose the man had been in!

'It was so scary,' he confessed. 'You should have seen his face, Alina! So afraid, so helpless. It was like he was begging for me to do something!'

'You can't,' she told him.

'I know,' he muttered. 'But still….'

'The question is what to do next,' Alina said. She stood up and began pacing. 'I've been thinking about this, you know. It would do no long term damage if we changed the legend a bit here, but I'm not sure that I can.'

'So you are accepting that you are here to change legend?' Merlin asked hopefully.

'I am most certainly not,' she said decisively. 'I only want to change this bit, not the rest of it. I'm not even sure I can even do it, mind you. Last time I tried and my plan completely backfired, thanks to some stupid young warlock who thought he knew better.'

'Sorry,' he muttered.

'If we are going to save ourselves a whole lot of trouble, we'll have to convince Uther to seal off that tomb immediately,' she went on.

'That might be difficult, seen as Uther is hell-bent on finding treasure and there is a lot of that in that tomb,' Merlin pointed out.

'Precisely,' Alina said, sounding very unhappy now. 'It's going to be one hell of a job to make that man see reason. Hopefully pointing out that there has already been one man killed because of one hidden trap and offering the suggestion that there may be more such things will do the job, but I seriously doubt it. He has been looking for this for ages and the death of a commoner is probably not enough to stop him.'

'What if we don't stop him?' Merlin asked.

'Complete chaos,' Alina replied without thinking.

'Than we must stop that from happening,' Merlin decided. 'What do we do?'

'You go and wake Gaius, I'll find Arthur and the king. We meet down there.'

Merlin nodded and walked over to the door.

'Oh, and Merlin?' she asked.

He stopped and looked back over his shoulder. 'Yes?'

'Please try not to get yourself killed by triggering one of those traps, will you?' she asked. 'That might not do our cause any good.'

'Don't worry,' he smiled at her. 'I'll be careful.' After that he run straight for Gaius' chambers.

**Alina**

Gaius and Merlin were already down in the tomb when the king, Arthur and Alina arrived. As they went in a very beautiful plate rolled towards them, with Merlin running after it. Uther stopped it with his feet, looked dismissively upon Merlin and said: 'Idiot.' Alina and Arthur went in after him, and she noticed the dent in the metal. This was no idiocy, she knew. Merlin had just saved Gaius' life.

Arthur seemed to share his father's views on Merlin's intelligence. 'Are you born clumsy, or do you work at it?' he snapped, a bit embarrassed by his servant, she thought.

Merlin managed to smile and say: 'It's just one of my many gifts.' Only Merlin and she understood the full meaning of these words, since they could also be explained as Merlin being very gifted in saving lives, which he no doubt was. But this was a fact Arthur was oblivious to.

Uther had already moved on, admiring the wealth and jewels that were literally piled up on the tables surrounding the actual grave. 'Well, this is quite a find!' he said, sounding very pleased with himself, even though he had done nothing, technically speaking. Maybe it wasn't such a surprise that Arthur always took the credit for something others had done for him. 'You see, Gaius, I was right. There is treasure to be found under Camelot.'

He took up a ring from one of the piles, studying it and then turned to the far bigger blue stone, shaped in the form of a heart, that was attached to the stone likeness of a man on the tomb. There was no denying that the stone was beautiful, but yet it was also deadly. She recognized it immediately. A shiver went down her spine.

'Which of my predecessors do I have to thank for all this?' Uther asked Gaius. From his tone alone Alina could tell that the finding of this tomb was the fulfilling of his dreams.

_If you are not careful, the dream will soon turn to nightmare_, she thought, praying that he would see reason before it was too late.

'I have to look into it,' Gaius said.

Merlin looked at her, asking with his eyes if she did know. She nodded. Oh yes, she knew exactly who this was.

Uther only now noticed the dead man still lying on the floor, his expression telling that he had not had a peaceful end. Something in his face told her that he had seen true horrors in his last moments on this earth. People would look like that when they had a nightmare. His had been a deadly one.

'What happened to him?' Uther asked.

'It seems he unwittingly triggered a trap here,' Gaius explained, pointing at the stone beside the man.

'Poor man,' Alina whispered. She walked over and knelt down next to him, closing his eyes.

'It's only a miner, Alina,' Uther said. She thought he meant to comfort her, but the way he talked about the lost life of this man, the loss to his family not even counting, triggered her fury. How could one care so little about the lives of other people? But to Uther only the lives of nobles seemed to matter.

'He was a human being,' she disagreed. 'He had a family, friends. To them he was not _only a miner_. His father loves him as much as you do Arthur, his wife loved him, as did his children. To them he meant something, something they now have to live without. Can't you see how sad that is?'

'You have a gentle heart, Alina,' the king said in a soft voice. He took her hand and helped her up again. 'But there is nothing you can do for him.'

'But surely his family can be looked after?' she pressed.

The king nodded. 'Of course.'

But she felt he only gave in because he wanted to please her and not because he thought it was necessary to care for the grieving family. Uther was so blind sometimes. She wanted to get it into his thick scull, make him see the truth, but he never would, she knew that.

'It must have been a trap to deter grave-robbers,' Arthur pondered aloud.

'There's plenty in here that people would want to steal,' Uther agreed. 'Have them secure the tomb. Guarding it is your responsibility, Arthur.'

'Wouldn't it be best if we left this tomb untouched?' suggested Alina. There was no better opportunity coming, so she had better do it now. 'Look at what happened to this man. He died because of a trap that's in this tomb. Who says it is the only trap? There may be plenty more, all of them deadly. They're here for a reason. To stop people like us disturbing this man's last resting place.'

Uther gave her an indulgent smile. 'I know you are afraid of any more people dying, Alina, but you need not fear. Now that we know what awaits us, we will proceed with the utmost carefulness, I assure you.'

_That was not what I meant_, she thought unhappily. _You have no idea what you're getting yourself into._

'Still, taking these things would be grave-robbery,' she argued. 'Are we turning thieves now? I'm sure there are other riches to be found under Camelot. Let's leave the dead in peace.' _They may come back to haunt you._

'You're not afraid of the dead, now, are you, Alina?' Arthur teased.

'Don't be ridiculous, Arthur,' she snapped. 'Just because I think it isn't right to rob the dead, which is, if I may say so, exactly what you're planning on, that does not mean that I am scared. I just have standards, that's all.'

'It is admirable,' Uther said. 'But nonetheless we will carry on as planned. Arthur, see to it.'

'Yes, father,' Arthur said.

Alina felt that it would be unwise to push it any further. She would have to think of another way to solve this problem. The determined look on Uther's face told her that he would not give it up willingly, or without having learned a very hard lesson. But if she remembered correctly, a lot of lives would be lost if Uther insisted on going through with this.

'Sorry,' she mouthed at Merlin when Uther led her out of the tomb.

He nodded. He understood that there was very little they could do. But she also saw faith in his eyes, that they would work it out and Alina promised herself that she would. There must be a way to prevent the chaos that would emerge if she decided to sit by and do nothing. She was not going to let that happen.

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**Hope you liked it. Will you please review?**

**I don't know if I'll be able to update tomorrow, so it's possible that you have to wait a little longer for the next chapter.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys, I could find the time to upload, so have fun reading and please review? I really, really like to hear your opinion.**

**And I still don't own Merlin.**

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**Chapter 17**

**Alina**

If she was going to stop this madness from happening, she decided that the best way to start would be by finding out as much as she possibly could about Cornelius Sigan, whose tomb she knew it was. So the next morning she went to Gaius, to assist him in his investigations.

'Good morning, my lady,' the physician asked when she entered. 'How can I help you today?'

'No need to call me that,' she replied. 'And it's more the question of what I can do for you. I had nothing else to do, so I thought you may need some help in finding out whose tomb it is.'

'That's very kind of you,' Gaius said.

She had not yet figured out what Gaius thought of her. One moment he talked to her the way he talked to Merlin, the next he addressed her as he would any noble lady. She suspected that he did not yet know what to make of her and she could understand that. After all she was a sorceress from the future, with a detailed knowledge of everything that had happened and still had to happen. She could understand that some people thought that a little scary, Merlin of course being the exception.

'Is Merlin not in?' she asked.

'Arthur has taken your brother on a hunt,' Gaius explained. 'Merlin had to come with them. He left over an hour ago.'

'It doesn't matter,' she assured him. 'So, where do we start?'

'With this,' Gaius said, handing her a ring with a raven image on it.

'That's not friendly looking,' she said. 'Someone's personal symbol, I'd say.'

'Do you already know whose it is?' Gaius asked.

'Cornelius Sigan's,' she replied.

Gaius looked at her in shock. 'Are you certain?'

She nodded. 'I have no doubts. There is a story about these events in my time and I know I am not mistaken. The stone on the chest of that statue? Did you see it?'

'I did.'

'There were markings around it. Some sort of text. I couldn't read it, but I'm sure it means something.'

'Did your story not tell that?'

'It did,' she admitted. 'But I've forgotten. I know the stories, because I liked them and therefor I remember a lot of details, but this one seems to have escaped my mind. I'm sorry, Gaius. I only know that it is important.'

'Then it's best we go and find out, then, shall we?'

They worked together for the rest of the day. Gaius wrote the inscription down and did his best to translate it when they were back in his chambers. Alina devoted herself to a study of Sigan's life. She found some books in the library and took them with her, hoping she could find something that would help her.

'Found anything interesting?' Gaius asked her late in the afternoon.

'He had the biggest ego I've ever come across,' Alina yawned. 'Twice the size of this castle, most likely. I've got a book here that he apparently has written himself, an account of the building of Camelot. He really thought he was the best in the world.'

'He was,' Gaius pointed out.

'Maybe so,' she said. 'But still, it's not something one says about oneself, right?'

Before Gaius could react to this, the door went open and Merlin came in, looking very tired.

'Hey, Merlin,' Alina said.

Merlin dropped his bag on the table, sighing.

'What's wrong?' Gaius asked.

'I've saved Arthur's life, someone else got the credit. Just the usual. What are you two doing?'

They explained their research. How they found out about Cornelius Sigan, the inscription and his wish to conquer mortality.

'You think he may have succeeded?' Merlin asked. 'In overcoming death, I mean?'

'Let's hope not,' Gaius said. 'For all our sakes.'

'Oh, yes,' Alina said at the same time. 'Seen that nice blue stone thingy on the tomb, Merlin?'

'Yes.'

'It's his soul.'

If she was going to change legend here, she might as well tell them everything, including that little detail.

'That does not sound so good,' Merlin said.

'It isn't,' she agreed. 'So we better make sure that no one touches that thing, or we'll all be in more trouble than we can chew.' She remembered something then. 'Who was this guy who claimed to have saved Arthur's life, Merlin? What was his name?'

'I suppose you already know, so there is no need to ask me,' he said, sulking.

'I want to make sure it's him, without telling you first,' she explained. 'What was his name?'

'Cedric,' Merlin said in a voice that made clear that right now he wished Cedric a very slow and painful death.

'You better beware of him,' she warned. 'Do not, under any circumstance, let him get close to Arthur, do you understand?'

'He already is,' Merlin told her, angry, but it was not directed at her, she could sense that much. 'Arthur thinks he's a hero.'

'Well, then you best do something about that.'

**Arthur**

Arthur thought that he was still dreaming. He must be dreaming, for in reality there was no way that there would be this amazing breakfast standing on the table, whilst at the same time his room was clean, his clothes were laid out, his sword was sharpened and his armour was polished.

He wondered why Merlin so suddenly had changed, only to discover that it was not Merlin who had done all this. When he turned to look at his servant, he found Cedric in the room.

'Good morning, your highness,' he said. 'Breakfast is ready, or do you want to dress first, my lord?'

For a moment Arthur was speechless. 'Where's Merlin?' he then managed to say.

'He's not here, sire.' That was stating the obvious, but Arthur was not going to linger on it, not while there was such a nice breakfast waiting for him. He would give Merlin a lecture on being late when he showed up. 'I'll dress first,' he decided. 'Then I'll have breakfast.'

'Of course, my lord,' Cedric said obediently.

Merlin came in when he was having breakfast, carrying a plate.

'What's that?' he inquired. 'Lunch?'

Merlin had not seen that Cedric was in the room yet. 'No, it's breakfast…' His voice trailed off when he saw that Arthur was already looked after.

'This is lovely, Cedric,' he said when the man laid another piece of ham on his plate. He did not think he had a servant before who was so good to him.

When Merlin spoke again, Arthur could hear the irritation and something else that he could not quite lay a finger on. Could it be fear? No, that could not be possible. Anger would be a more logical reaction. 'Is there anything else that needs doing, sire?'

Arthur made a show of looking around him and pretending that he only now saw that everything had been done. Maybe that would teach Merlin. It was no good dealing with him since yesterday, making all kinds of slip-ups that started to annoy him enormously.

'No,' he then said. 'I think that Cedric's got that all covered.' He could almost feel the joy radiating of Cedric at being praised so much. Well, he deserved it.

'Oh!' Cedric said suddenly. 'I regret, sire, there is one I've failed to do: muck out your horses.'

The look on Merlin's face was priceless and Arthur had to work his hardest not to laugh out loud.

'Off you go,' he told his manservant, chewing a bit of bread.

Merlin's eyes begged him not to do this, but he pretended not to see that. He knew very well that mucking out the horses was his least favourite chore to do, but hopefully this would teach him that his behaviour was not good enough and that he had to work on it. And work on it soon.

'I'll get the door for you,' Cedric said, bowing and beckoning Merlin to leave, which the servant, after some hesitation, did.

* * *

Arthur went off to the lower town in a very good mood. Cedric had offered to clean his boots, properly, since Merlin's attempt to do so had ended in a disaster: all the boots had mysteriously been covered in mud when he checked it. Arthur strongly suspected Merlin had forgotten to clean them and had lied about it, which did not much to improve his idea of the young man's intelligence.

He was talking to one of the guards about a theft last night, when the guard's eyes suddenly widened.

'Sire!' he called out, pointing to something behind his back.

When Arthur turned to look at what was going on there, he saw his horses galloping towards him and then past him, leaving a complete chaos in their wake.

'Catch them!' Arthur snapped at the guard. He then turned to address the source of the problem. He knew exactly whose fault this was.

He really should not have been surprised when he found his manservant sleeping on the floor of the stables, his work not yet half done.

Arthur bended down. It was as if Merlin felt the anger radiating from him, because he moaned a little and then opened his eyes. When he saw Arthur, he got up as fast as he could.

'Sire!' he called out.

'What are you doing?' Arthur asked in a very controlled voice.

'Nothing,' Merlin said, after looking around him, as if he did not yet know where he was.

'I can see that,' Arthur commented.

Merlin still looked around him, a very confused look on his face. There was something else on his face as well, but Arthur thought that was something he deserved, so he did not mention it. 'I wasn't sleeping,' he said.

Since Arthur had found him doing exactly that, that was a very bad lie. But he nodded, waiting for Merlin to continue.

'I was… I was just bending down,' the servant explained.

'Looking for something?' Arthur suggested.

'Yes!' Merlin said, looking relieved now that he thought Arthur believed him, which he didn't.

'Perhaps we're looking for the same thing,' Arthur went on.

'What?' Merlin asked, not understanding.

'Oh, I don't know,' Arthur said, before continuing in a hard voice. 'The horses!'

'The hors-ses,' Merlin stammered, as if realising for the first time that the horses were no longer in the stable. 'Oh!'

'One mistake, I can understand,' Arthur started his lecture. Merlin clearly needed one. 'Everyone has a bad day now and then. But this is one thing after another!'

Merlin raised his hands to his head, still looking very confused. 'I don't know what happened!'

Arthur mimicked him, preparing to give Merlin a piece of his mind.

Before he could do that, however, both their attentions were drawn by Cedric's voice. 'Sire,' he said. 'Don't be too hard on him. He's a good servant.' Arthur disagreed on that one, but he was too surprised to say anything. 'He's just… he's tired.' He laid a hand on Merlin's shoulder.

'I am not!' Merlin exclaimed, shaking off the hand as if Cedric had some disease that he might catch.

'Maybe, maybe if he had the evening off,' Cedric suggested.

'I don't want the evening off!' Merlin said. Was Arthur imaging things, or did he see a flash of panic in the boy's eyes? Afraid his job would be taken away from him? Well, that was good. He would work much harder if that was the case.

'A good night's rest…,' Cedric said.

'I did _not_ fall asleep!' Merlin was practically shouting by now.

'I am more than willing to take over his duties tonight,' Cedric finished.

That did not sound like a bad idea at all. If the treatment he received this morning was typical for Cedric, he did not mind to be treated like a real prince for a little longer. He somehow doubted that Cedric would ever dare to call him a prat or an ass.

'Perhaps you're right,' he said in a calm voice.

'No!'

'Shut up, Merlin.'

Merlin did not listen, but then, he didn't expect that anymore. 'Can't you see what he's trying to do?' Merlin asked, looking right into his eyes. Oh yes, there definitely was some panic, despair even, in his eyes. 'He's trying to get rid of me and if you weren't such a clotpole you'd see that!'

Arthur narrowed his eyes at hearing that unfamiliar word. He had never heard it anywhere before, but he somehow doubted it being a compliment. 'A _what_?' he asked.

Merlin seemed to realise that he now crossed a line that he should not have crossed. He took a few steps back, struck dumb by his own words.

'Clotpole,' Cedric repeated. 'He said clotpole.'

'Cedric's right,' Arthur said. 'He can look after me tonight. You can go home and think about whether you want to be my servant or not.'

'But…'

'Go!' Arthur said, finally showing some of his irritation.

And Merlin obeyed, but Arthur could have sworn that there were tears in his eyes.

* * *

Arthur was disturbed by a gentle knock on the door. Cedric was gone to get his dinner and Arthur had turned his attention, with some reluctance, to some letters that needed answering.

'Come in,' he said.

'Evening, Arthur,' Alina said. She closed the door behind her.

'Alina, what a pleasant surprise!' The letters could wait, he decided.

She sat herself down, taking a goblet of water.

'Suit yourself,' Arthur remarked dryly. 'What brings you here?'

She looked at him disapprovingly. 'I think you know.'

He honestly had no idea. 'Ehm… I don't think so.' Although he had the uncomfortable feeling that perhaps he should.

'Merlin,' she said, her voice sounding as cold as winter.

Uh-oh. 'What about him?'

'He's with Gaius now,' she replied. 'Crying his eyes out over the way you treated him.'

'Hey!' Arthur protested. 'Merlin fell asleep whilst mucking out the stables! That is not my mistake.'

'Merlin did not fall asleep,' she disagreed. She laid something which looked like a small ball on the table. 'Do you know what that is?'

'A child's ball?'

'Smell it,' she ordered. 'Not too deeply, mind you.'

He did as she asked and sniffed. 'Ugh! What's that?'

'Some herbs that could cause someone to fall asleep, even when the person inhaling them is not tired at all. The potency of these herbs is increased when they are burning and thus smoking a little. Now, do you want to guess where I found this little beauty?'

He had some idea, but he hoped that wasn't true. 'In Merlin's bedroom?'

'In the stables,' she corrected him. 'And this thing has been burned.'

He sighed. 'What are you trying to say, Alina?'

'I'm saying that Merlin was set up. You know that as well as I do. And I think we both know by whom. Because who came, oh so conveniently, walking in just moments after you found Merlin asleep, offering to take over his duties tonight?' She cocked her head, waiting for an answer.

Arthur had this uncomfortable feeling that he always had when he realised that some things might not be the way he believed they were. He usually was very good in repressing these feelings. After all, he was the prince, so he certainly did not have to justify his actions to the people who were below him. It was their duty to let his little slip-ups pass. Alina, however, was of equal standing.

'Cedric is a good servant,' he defended himself.

'Cedric is a bootlicker,' she said disapprovingly. 'He's trying to butter up to you in the hope of getting Merlin's job, and I'm sorry to say, but you are letting him. If you were honest with yourself, Arthur Pendragon, you know Merlin is at least ten times the man Cedric is. I somehow seriously doubt Cedric would be willing to lay down his life for you. He only works for you as long as there is something in it for him, what that might be I dread to think. When he no longer needs you, he'll drop you without second thought. That's something Merlin would never _ever_ do to you.'

Arthur had folded his arms in front of him, as if that was going to protect him from Alina's wrath. 'Are you quite done lecturing me?' he asked, feeling his own anger rise quickly. Surely she didn't think she could tell him how to choose and treat his servants?

'Not quite,' she replied coolly. 'Because if you think you can fire him and replace him with Cedric, you'll have me to answer to and believe me, you don't want it to come to that. Did I make myself clear?'

From anyone else's mouth these words would have sounded like an empty threat. But when Alina spoke them, he did not doubt it for a single moment. So he nodded, speechless by the barely concealed threat in her voice. He had no clue as to what she might do when he went against her orders, for that was what they were, but he knew he would regret it the moment she learned about it.

She stood up, preparing to leave now that she said what she wanted to say. 'Kick that man out, Arthur,' she said in a soft voice. 'He has _trouble_ written all over him.'

'Well, he can stay tonight,' Arthur disagreed. 'Let Merlin calm down,' he added when he saw her face harden again.

'You know he wants to come back the moment you give the word?' she said.

Somewhere deep down inside Arthur knew that. Merlin was loyal to the core. Alina had helped to remind him of that. Not that he would admit that, of course.

'Anything else?' he asked.

'No, I think that was it,' she said. 'Just, good night, Arthur.' When she was in the door opening, she looked back one last time, a sad look in her eyes. 'And Arthur? Don't trust Cedric.'

Before he could react, she was gone.

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**Well, that's another chapter done. I hope you liked it. Next one will be up tomorrow.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 is all finished, so enjoy reading. You may have to wait another day before chapter 19 is up. I'm not sure I have the time to upload tomorrow, but I promise I'll try. And, of course, will you please, please review?**

**And I haven't been able to persuade the BBC to give Merlin to me, so I still don't own it.**

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**Chapter 18**

**Arthur**

When Arthur woke the following morning, it was neither by Merlin nor by Cedric. It was one of the guards who told him that his presence was required in the tomb they had found.

Arthur rubbed the sleep from his eyes, trying not to give in to the impulse to throw something at the man who had woken him. Where on earth were the servants when you needed them? He only then realised that it was still dark outside. Cedric and Merlin would probably be still in their beds.

He dressed as well as he could on his own and then went down to the tomb. The place was a mess. Jewels and other riches were all over the place, as if a hurricane had gone through it. Yet there was only one thing missing: the huge blue jewel attached to the likeness of the dead man.

Only now he noticed the other people in the tomb. Gaius and Alina were already present, as was Merlin. The expression on his face could only be described as horror-struck, like the worst of his fears had now come true. Arthur thought that was a little exaggerated. After all, it was only a theft. Something very precious had been stolen, but Arthur did not doubt that they would retrieve it. It was not the end of the world.

'Sound the warning bell,' he ordered one of the guards, before leaving the tomb.

Alina ran after him. 'Arthur?'

He halted. 'What is it this time?' he demanded.

She bent down and picked something off the floor. 'Look at this,' she said.

He looked. It was exactly the same kind of ball that she had shown him only last night. It was the same sort ball that had been used to knock Merlin out, which Alina believed Cedric was responsible for.

'Surely you don't think Cedric did this?' he asked in an unbelieving voice.

She looked daggers at him. 'He had access to your chambers last night, didn't he?' she asked sharply.

'Yes.' There was no point in denying it.

'Then he could very easily get hold of the key, couldn't he?'

'My keys were all still there when I woke.'

'It's not so difficult to put them back, after using them. We both know you would not wake when there's an elephant trumpeting next to your bed.'

'I'm not sure I would not wake from that amount of noise.' Arthur felt it necessary to contradict this.

'Well, that's completely off the point,' Alina went on impatiently. 'The point is that Cedric is the thief.'

There was no way to deny it. Deep down Arthur sensed that she was right and that, if he was being honest, he should have known all along that there was something not right about the man's behaviour. He just couldn't bring himself to say that Merlin and Alina had been right all this time, even when they so obviously were.

'I'll have him arrested,' he said, because that was the only thing that he could possibly do, with all this evidence.

'Good,' Alina said. She dropped the ball at his feet and returned to the castle.

Arthur bended down to pick it up and then heard Gaius call Merlin's name. He decided to wait and listen. When he would ask himself later why he did that, he could not really answer it. It was a feeling and he had to obey it.

'Whoever did this got more than they bargained for,' the physician said. Arthur peeked around the corner to see him holding up a stone shaped in the form of a heart. For a moment Arthur thought it was the missing jewel, but then he noticed that this stone did not have any colour left in it.

'I don't understand how they got in,' Merlin said. 'The gate's not even damaged.'

_I think I do know_, Arthur thought unhappily.

'They must have used a key,' Gaius said thoughtfully.

_Yes, mine._

'Arthur's got the only key,' Merlin said.

'Where does he keep it?'

'On his belt, with the others.'

'Does he ever take it off?'

'Only when he's asleep. He keeps it next to his bed.' Arthur started to be a little impressed as by how much Merlin knew of every little detail of his life. Maybe he was not as unobservant as Arthur had always believed him to be.

'Who had access to his chambers last night?' Gaius asked.

Merlin shrugged. 'Just me… and Cedric!' He turned around, ready to storm out and arrest the thief himself, but Gaius stopped him.

'Merlin, you have to be careful.' He showed the stone again. 'Cedric may not be himself anymore.'

'You think…' Merlin looked to be very busy organising his thoughts. 'You think that Sigan's soul is possessing him?'

Why was he even listening to this? All this was, was silly superstition. But yet, it did make some sense. Arthur was too clever to believe that a blue stone lost all its colour in one night on its own account. There was more to this than he had thought.

'The inscription here says that _he who breaks my heart, completes my work_.'

'Sigan is planning on revenge,' Merlin immediately understood, as opposed to Arthur, who didn't understand. He of course knew who Sigan was. His father always loved the tale of the sorcerer who had died before his time. And of course he believed it to be possible that Sigan's tomb was somewhere below Camelot. He just didn't believe the part of the story that claimed that Sigan was in some strange way immortal. And he most certainly did not believe that his evil spirit would come back to haunt them, or so he told himself. Because there was still that colourless stone to prove that something was very wrong here.

'I'm going after him,' Merlin decided.

'Merlin!' Gaius called out. 'Have you not been listening to a single word I've said? Sigan was the most powerful sorcerer who has ever lived. You can't just go after him!'

'Don't worry, I can take him,' Merlin reassured the old man.

Arthur could not help but think that Merlin was very much overrating his own abilities. He hardly knew how to hold a sword, let alone use it, let alone use it on someone who could be possessed by an evil spirit.

Merlin ran out of the tomb, past him without even noticing him. Well, maybe the boy was just as unobservant as he had always believed. He would make a joke about that later. First, he had a thief to catch.

**Merlin**

Cedric was nowhere to be found. Merlin searched the entire castle, but there was no trace of him. Yet he did not doubt that Cedric, or rather Sigan, was still somewhere in the city, planning his revenge. He did not doubt it was that way. Whenever something wasn't as it should be, it was most of the time the worst scenario you could imagine, so he anticipated that now.

Arthur finally had seen sense. He had taken all of the guard to search for Cedric Sigan, as Merlin now called him, because the man now walking around somewhere had Cedric's body and Sigan's soul, so the name was a nice mix-up of both.

'He is nowhere, Gaius,' he complained that night at dinner.

'He must be somewhere,' Gaius said.

'He will reveal himself, rather sooner than later,' Alina added. She had joined them for supper, rather than eating alone in her chambers. 'He may be preparing to strike even as we speak.' She sighed, clearly frustrated.

'So, there is nothing you could change?' Merlin asked, guessing the reason as to why she was so frustrated.

'A few minor details,' she replied. 'I got Arthur to see the truth about Cedric. It was too late anyway, but it is a change. And I saved you another trip to the dungeons, so I guess that's an improvement.'

'I would have been thrown in the dungeons?'

'According to the legend Arthur did not believe that Cedric was doing anything else than being a very good servant, so when you were going to tell him that he was possessed by an evil soul, he did not believe you. You got into a fight with Cedric, or rather Sigan, and Arthur sent you to the dungeons to cool off,' she explained.

Merlin could not help but grin. 'So, you did do something. It seems that you can change things around here. Thanks.'

Alina's face was still serious. 'Wait to thank me until this night is over. I've only changed some details, but apparently I'm not capable of changing anything bigger without revealing my magic and my knowledge of the future.'

'And you can't do that,' Merlin realised.

'How I wish I could,' she sighed. 'Without getting myself a shortcut to the executioner's block. Well, at least you two know about me and Connor knows too, so that's a relief. But I really hate having to hide who I really am.'

'Starting to know what it feels like, don't you?' Merlin joked.

'Kind of,' she shrugged. 'Speaking of which, I also can understand how it feels to be wanting to bash Arthur's head against the wall to get some basic truths stamped into his thick skull. Don't get me wrong, he _can_ be nice, but sometimes… Is it really that hard to admit that I was actually right about something?'

'He won't do that,' Merlin told her, having quite a lot of experience with this kind of thing.

'So I noticed.'

Before anything else could be said, the warning bells started tolling again. Merlin looked at the princess in shock. 'Is this…?'

'Sigan?' she finished. 'Oh, yes. Let's get down, deal with this.' She grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

'Where are we going?' Merlin asked.

'Council chambers,' she replied. 'Find Arthur.'

'What do you think he has done?' Merlin was slightly afraid of the answer. There was such a serious expression on her face, combined with some panic that he hardly dared to ask.

'He made the statues on the castle wall come alive, having them terrorise the people,' Alina answered without hesitation. She didn't guess, she knew.

When they entered the council chambers, Uther and Arthur were already there.

'Do we know what this creature is and where it came from?' Uther asked.

'There's more than one, father,' Arthur said. 'We've had several reports. There is panic in the lower town. People are fleeing the city.'

Uther's answer was as predictable as ever. 'Then you must hunt these creatures down and kill them.'

'Yes, sire,' Arthur replied. He turned around and left.

Merlin and Alina ran after him. They did not have to say it to know what needed doing. If Arthur was walking into a dangerous situation, and this one was undoubtedly so, then it was their duty to keep him out of trouble.

They came into the courtyard without Arthur noticing them. Merlin suspected that he would have sent Alina back in if he noticed her. He seemed to take Merlin's presence on such occasions for granted. Merlin wasn't bothered by this, because usually this gave him the opportunity to protect Arthur.

Right now he froze into place. There were several creatures out there, which were vaguely familiar, because until very recently, they had been a part of the castle walls. And up on the balcony, where Uther used to stand when there were people being executed, stood the man who had gone by the name of Cedric until he lost himself to the sorcerer whose soul he had been trying to steal and who had now stolen his body. Cornelius Sigan stood on the balcony as the executioners he had conjured slaughtered all the people in the courtyard.

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**Yes, I know that's a cliff-hanger. Just stay tuned for the next chapter and you'll see what happens…**


	19. Chapter 19

**Well, this is chapter 19, as you all might have noticed. Enjoy reading. And I would like it so much if you reviewed after reading, let me know what you think.**

**Oh, and of course I still don't own Merlin.**

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**Chapter 19**

**Alina**

Alina did not take the time to stop and think it over before she ran out, grabbing a sword off a dead knight and joining in the fight. She did not ask herself why she did this. She just did. It was her destiny to protect Arthur and Camelot.

Arthur and his knights were poking at the creatures with spears, hitting it at several occasions, but never hurting it.

_Fools_, she thought. _Those things are stone statues called to life. You can't kill stone with a wooden spear!_ It would take something harder than stone to take these creatures down, or magic. But she could not use magic now, not in front of the knights and Arthur.

The knights scattered when one exceptionally big statue with wings landed in their midst, sending them running in every direction. With their ranks broken it was so much easier to get them and turn them into dead bodies before you could blink. Alina forgot what she just told herself about using magic. She could and she had to use it. It may be her destiny to change legend. Well, if that was true, she would do her best to prevent as many people as she could from dying at Sigan's hands.

She was far away from anyone and it was very hard to see anything with the dark and the shrouds of mist. The chances of getting caught were very slim. She held out her hand to one of the creatures and muttered the spell.

The thing, for a living being you could hardly call it, suddenly was blinded and crashed into a nearby wall, breaking into pieces as it fell to the stones, never to move again. The trick was to use magic in a way that no one would suspect it was magic. If everyone just thought that they had more luck than anyone could ever have, that was just fine. They would still believe that they were only extremely lucky. People in Camelot seemed to have developed a blind spot when it came to magic. She took advantage of that now.

'Come on, Merlin!' she called out to the young warlock who still stood on the steps. 'Get over here!'

Merlin did not seem to hear her. His gaze was locked on the silhouette of a man standing on the balcony. She had only seen Cedric a few times in real life, but she remembered all too well how he had looked in the show, so she identified the man in black very soon as the sorcerer who was responsible for all this.

_Perhaps there is still a way to end this without too many lives lost_, she thought. She focused very hard and sent a spell his way. Sigan noticed it too late and he was sent flying backwards with his back against a wall. For a moment Alina thought that she did it, that it really could be this easy, that by killing the man, she also killed the evil soul that had taken his body. After all, if the soul did not get the chance to escape, it might die with Cedric and then Camelot would be rid of him once and for all.

But then he got up again, crushing all her hopes. This was not as easy as she had hoped. But she was not going to give up on her theory just yet. It was just going to take longer than she had anticipated.

She tried again, intending to hit him again before he was fully recovered. But she had lost the element of surprise now and Sigan dodged her attack with ease, laughing. He did not need to be so careful with his magic as she had to be with hers, so he sent a fireball straight at her.

_Don't they ever grow tired of trying to kill me with those things?_ Alina thought slightly annoyed as she stepped out of its way, whilst causing the ball to land in the courtyard, on the ground, where it could do no harm.

This, however, drew Arthur's attention. 'Alina, get inside!' he yelled at her.

'Forget it,' she snapped.

She saw the flying statue before he did, coming at him from behind. Arthur had not seen it, for he was too busy telling her that she should obey his orders and get inside, where it was supposed to be safe.

'Arthur, get down!' she shrieked.

'Alina, get inside!' he repeated again, before he realised what really happened. He looked over his shoulders and froze into place. Of all the things he should be doing!

'Duck!' she yelled.

He gave no indication that he had even heard her, so she went for him herself, throwing herself against him with all her weight, causing them both to fall, just beyond the creature's reach, but while she did so, she felt something tear at her left shoulder.

'Ah!' she exclaimed while they hit the ground.

For a moment there was nothing either of them could do. Even if they wanted to, they could not move, frozen into place, a little too much aware of how close the other was. Alina found that she did no longer mind being so near him anymore. Somewhere in the back of her head she knew that this was supposed to worry her, but she could not quite remember why, and, by the looks of it, neither could Arthur. He could only stare at her.

The magic of the moment was shattered when Arthur's gaze wandered to the wound at her shoulder. 'You're hurt,' he said.

She stood up, lending him her hand. He took it. 'So are you,' she remarked, pointing at the wound at his right shoulder.

'You saved me,' he said, his voice filled with wonder.

She snorted. 'Of course I did. What else should I have done?'

'Thank you,' he blurted out, still looking into her eyes as if he saw her for the first time.

For some reason this made her blush and she dropped her gaze, but not for long. The screams of the creatures pulled her back to reality and she saw another one coming at them.

'Thank me when we're both safe again!'

They started to run for cover, finding it under some huge blocks that the monsters had caused to fall down. They could get under it, but their attackers could not.

'That was close,' she whispered as another fireball crashed into the ground before their shelter just seconds after they fled under it.

'Why is he doing that?' Arthur wondered.

'Well, I've got a feeling he does not like us so much,' Alina replied.

This dry remark made them both laugh a little. It was an absurd thing to do in that particular situation, but it did them both a lot of good.

They only stopped when another person almost literally dived into their little hideout.

'Merlin!' Alina exclaimed.

'Sorry,' the young warlock said.

'Merlin!' Arthur said. 'What are you doing here?'

'Protecting you, of course.'

'God have mercy,' Arthur muttered under his breath.

'What do we do now?' Merlin asked her.

She thought very hard. 'Well, it's clear that Sigan in in Cedric's body,' she thought aloud. 'So, there must be a way to get him out of the man and into the stone again. If we can do that, I think this whole madness around us will stop as well.'

Arthur nodded. 'That would make sense.'

'The question is: how?' Merlin said.

'Very clever of you, Merlin,' Arthur said in a hard, sarcastic voice, which they both ignored.

'Do you know a way, Alina?' Merlin asked, clearly choosing his words carefully in the hope of not alarming Arthur.

She shook her head. 'I think you should talk to our mutual friend,' she said.

'Oh no!' Merlin said immediately. 'Alina, I can't. You know what happened during our last meeting. I can't go back there now.' Merlin was almost begging.

'I would go if I thought that was better,' she said decisively. She could almost feel Arthur's curiosity radiating from him as he tried to understand what they were talking about. She would have a lot to explain later. It was only because their situation was so severe that he managed not to blurt all his questions out right then, she knew, so she better had to work on a good story to feed to him. 'But _you_ must do this.' She looked at him intensely, hoping that her eyes would convey the message that was too dangerous to be spoken out loud: _legend expects it of you._ She knew that Merlin would have to promise to release the dragon in exchange for the spell to lock Sigan in his stone once again. She knew herself well enough to know that she could not make such a promise, so Merlin had to be the one to go.

Another fireball collided with their little hide-out.

'And you'll have to do it as quick as you can,' she told him.

'But…,' he started to protest.

'Merlin, every second you wait, people are dying!' she snapped. 'So stop wasting everyone's time and just do it. Arthur and I will distract Sigan and his pets and then you will have to make a run for it. Do you understand?'

Something in her voice and eyes silenced him and he nodded. 'I'll try,' he promised.

'You better,' Arthur said, looking out of their safe place. 'And don't be late, Merlin.'

After saying that, Alina felt that he took her hand and dragged her out into the courtyard again, giving Merlin the chance to get help. _Run, Merlin, run_, she thought as she joined the fight again.

**Arthur**

Arthur dodged another fiery ball that the man that he knew as Cedric had thrown at them, whilst at the same time he threw a dagger at the creature that was currently attacking them. He fought back to back with Alina. Between attacks it struck him how remarkable it was that they were fighting like this, together. It felt like they were two parts of one whole, knowing what the other would do without having to say it. It felt like there was a bond forming between them, a bond that started to form the moment she had knocked him out of the way of the creature.

There were still a lot of questions he was dying to ask. Who was that mutual friend Merlin and Alina kept referring to? He recalled Merlin saying that this friend had given him advice, when Arthur was hurt by the beast. Alina had then scowled at the idea of this so-called friend being a friend, but now she had sent Merlin to him again, despite Merlin's pleas not to do so. Seemed that the roles had been reversed.

He also wondered what was going on between these two. Arthur suspected that there was a lot they were not telling him and that stung. You would almost say that they did not trust him with certain information. Right, it was true that he had scowled at Alina when she said that the beast was not the questing beast and he had dismissed Merlin almost without second thought when Cedric showed up. Could he truly blame them for not trusting him?

'What takes him so long?' Arthur yelled over all the noise.

'Our friend is not known for giving straight answers!' Alina replied, panting. 'And Merlin and he did not exactly part on friendly terms. It may take some convincing before he gives Merlin the answer that we need.'

'Why didn't you go, then?'

She snorted. 'And who would be watching your back if I did that? Can you honestly see Merlin handling a sword?'

'Merlin? _Please_!'

'Like I said,' she laughed. 'And I can't fight in these skirts!' she added in a very frustrated voice when she almost tripped over her own dress again.

Arthur took one moment to examine her. Alina was not dressed for a fight. She wore a long, delicate blue dress with long sleeves, that was not so beautiful anymore. The left shoulder was torn off and the dress was also ripped apart at the sleeves and skirts, where the creatures had tried to claw her.

'This thing is ready to be burned,' Arthur commented.

'You sure?' she asked.

'Positive.'

'Because if that's the case, I'm going to do something that might shock you a little.' Arthur did not understand immediately what she meant by that, but then the princess took her dagger, cutting off the skirt below her knees, revealing a lot more of her legs than was considered appropriate.

'What?' he stammered.

'This is more practical,' she explained, trying to defend herself against another _air strike_, as she had started calling it.

'It's distracting,' he said. Very, dangerously distracting.

'Never seen legs before, have you, Arthur?' she joked.

These battle-jokes made their desperate situation bearable. Most knights laid dead or unconscious on the stones. There were only a few man still standing. He had ordered the knights to retreat into the castle, to save as many lives as possible. He tried to order Alina to go with them as well, but she just ignored his orders. Part of him was glad that she stayed with him, while another part desperately wanted her to be safe. But since there was no way she would let herself be sent away, he just was glad for her company.

Things started to go really wrong for them when one of the creatures came for him, while he was trying to deal with another of Sigan's cursed fireballs and another one of his pets, as Alina called them. She was being kept busy by another statue, so there was no way she could come to his rescue this time.

He felt himself being lifted into the air.

'Arthur!' he heard Alina scream in fear.

Saying that he was fine would probably not convince her, he thought. He struggled in the beast's hold, but its claws were stone and it was no good fighting against that. No matter what he did, the beast did not even seem to be bothered by his fruitless attempt to wriggle himself out of its grasp.

Suddenly he felt something whirl past him, like a gush of wind, but not quite that. There was a hint of, well, power in that wind. It hit the creature and unlike the steel of his swords, this actually did hurt the statue. The beast lost balance, losing height. Arthur felt it loosening its grip on his arms and he managed to struggle free, only realising he had to fall a long way before reaching the ground.

The air was knocked out of him when he hit the ground. A groan of pain escaped his lips as the pain consumed him, pulling him away into to unconsciousness.

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**I know, I know. Another cliff-hanger. The original plan was to make chapter 19 the last one about this episode, but, as per usual, writing got wildly out of hand, so I split it up. So tomorrow will be the last chapter about Cornelius Sigan, truly.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys, here's the new chapter. Can hardly believe that I'm having twenty chapters posted.**

**Please tell me what you think of this chapter. I wasn't exactly sure about using Arthur's POV, so tell me if you think that's a good plan or that I have to change it.**

**Oh, and again, I don't own Merlin.**

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**Chapter 20**

**Arthur**

'Arthur!' Alina yelled again, her voice full of panic and fear, drawing him back to consciousness.

'I'm fine,' he muttered, but that was not true. He could not feel his legs anymore, which seemed weird, since his legs had been hurt the hardest when he landed.

'You stay with me,' she ordered. 'Don't pass out this time. Fight it. I know you can!'

'Whatever you want,' he mumbled, the words not sounding as coherent as he wished them to be.

'Arthur!' another voice called out in horror. He could hear another pair of footsteps running to him. 'Oh no! Alina, what happened?'

'He was picked up and fell when he broke free, meters above the ground,' Alina responded. 'I'm so sorry, Merlin, I tried to keep him safe!'

She made it sound as if she had promised to make sure that nothing would happen to him, a task in which she had failed.

His vision was blurred, and he could not make out their faces clearly anymore. But he saw Merlin lay a hand on Alina's hunched shoulders, as if to comfort her. And while his mind was very unclear at the moment, some other things became more clear than they were when he was his normal, healthy self. He could not see one hint of them being lovers in the kind gesture of his servant. He only saw a man who comforted his best friend.

The screaming of another beast drew their attention. 'Merlin!' Alina called out in a warning.

Then the strangest thing happened, something that made Arthur almost believe that he was dreaming, but not quite. There was too much pain to be a dream or even a nightmare. Merlin stood up, held out his hand and called out a strange-sounding word in a language Arthur did both know and not know. '_Astrice_!' he called out in a voice that did not even sound like it was his own. He sounded more serious, more grown-up than Arthur was used to.

The word had barely left his servant's mouth or the beast that was trying to attack him exploded into a thousand pieces of harmless stone, falling down all around them, but never on them.

Arthur's mind, although being slowed by the consequences of his fall, could only arrive at one conclusion. Merlin had magic. That fool of a servant was no fool at all. He was a powerful sorcerer who could blow a magical beast to bits with one flick of his wrist. Arthur was too weak to feel any real anger or betrayal at the moment, but he certainly did feel disappointment. How could Merlin, _Merlin_ of all people, do that to him?

Alina was aware of Merlin's powers. Arthur suspected that was the case at least, for she did not sound a bit surprised or even scared, as anyone in their senses would do at finding out that their best friend is a sorcerer. She simply said: 'Thanks, Merlin.' Arthur could not see her face, he could barely keep his eyes open as it was, but he heard, more than he saw that she smiled in relief.

Merlin kneeled down next to him again. 'Can you heal him, Alina?' he asked.

'I… I don't know,' she confessed. 'I've never done anything so complicated. I guess I could try. He seems hardly conscious, so I don't think he would be aware of…'

At this point she was interrupted.

'Who would have believed?' a voice said mockingly. Arthur recognized the voice, although it was darker than he remembered it. He had only heard that voice when it was being overly polite to him, appearing to be a perfect servant. 'You, a sorcerer? And a powerful one.'

The voice had come closer throughout this speech, but now it halted, some meters away from their little group.

'Get away from us,' Alina hissed.

'I won't let you hurt him!' Merlin said with emphasis. Arthur knew that voice very well. He himself used it frequently if he was ordering Merlin around. To hear that coming out of his servant's mouth was a surprise if not a total shock. But as surprising as the tone was, the words were even more so. If Merlin truly was a sorcerer, and of that he had no doubt, then Arthur was supposed to be his natural enemy, someone he should be fighting rather than protecting. None of this made any sense.

'And you're going to stop me?' Sigan mocked him.

Considering Merlin had revealed himself to be a very powerful man, Arthur thought that Sigan had better think twice before he mocked Merlin. There was an edge to his voice that made him sound very dangerous. Yet Arthur could not bring himself to be scared, even though he was stuck in this mess, incapable of moving and caught between two strong sorcerers. Alina was at his side, holding his hand, breathing calmly. If she was not afraid, then he was not going to be either.

'You bet,' Alina whispered fiercely.

'Am I?' Merlin muttered, barely audible. He sounded so vulnerable now, almost sounding like the Merlin Arthur knew and trusted.

'You are,' Alina replied in a calm and steady voice.

Sigan had missed this little conversation. He stood there, waiting, when Merlin got up, blocking what little view he had of the in black clad man standing there.

'I will stop you,' Merlin said. The way he spoke took away every doubt Arthur might have had. It was the same tone Alina used when she wanted to make sure that she made herself absolutely clear.

'He does not deserve your loyalty,' Sigan told Merlin. He was still busy buttering up to people, Arthur noticed, although it was a darker kind of buttering up now. 'He treats you like a slave.'

'That's not true!' Merlin said desperately, because both Merlin and Arthur knew how true it really was. Arthur had treated Merlin worse than a slave, always making him do more work than anyone would be able to handle, always expecting him to be there for him every moment of every day, never allowing him a moment's rest. And still Merlin contradicted it, with almost a desperate longing for it not to be true. Sigan was right, Arthur realised with a shock. He did not deserve Merlin's loyalty, at all.

'He cast you aside without a moment's thought!' Sigan pressed, still trying to win his servant over.

'That doesn't matter,' Merlin said.

'But it must hurt, so much, to be so put upon, so overlooked,' Sigan said, trying as much as he could to remind Merlin of how little Arthur deserved him. 'While all the while you have such power!' It became clear to Arthur that Sigan very much wanted Merlin's power on his side. He was like a dog drooling over some bone he could not get.

'That's the way it has to be,' Merlin said, sounding a little more sure of himself.

'Does it?' Sigan asked and Arthur thought. Was this really the way things had to be? 'You're young, Merlin. Look inside yourself. You've yet to discover your true power. I can help you.'

_Meaning: I want to have you for my own wicked ends,_ Arthur thought.

'Think, Merlin,' Sigan went on, coming closer towards them. It almost sounded like he tried to hypnotise Merlin into doing his bidding. 'To have the world appreciate your greatness, to have Arthur know you for what you are…'

_I already know_.

'That can never be,' Merlin said, sounding too sad for someone so young.

Arthur was not so sure anymore that he was not dreaming. Surely this was something that was too weird to be real. But this dream was very vivid, but still, it could not be more than a hallucination, a fantasy, could it?

'It can!' Sigan disagreed. 'If you join me. Together we can rule over this land! Arthur will tremble at your voice, he will kneel at your feet!'

Anyone who had less strength of mind would have been tempted at least. Not Merlin. He never even wavered. His vision was far from clear, but Arthur could see him straighten his back and raise his head in defiance. 'I don't want that,' he said in a loud and clear voice. No one could doubt that this was something that he truly meant and that nothing Sigan said would persuade him to do otherwise. Arthur was moved by his loyalty, even though he did not deserve that and this was only a dream. If it had been real, it would be no less true than it was in the dream, maybe that was the message his brain was trying to get him to understand.

'You'd rather be a servant?' Sigan asked in an unbelieving voice.

'Better to serve a good man, than to rule with an evil one!' Merlin said with force.

'So be it!' Sigan declared. 'If you will not join me, I will become you and your power will be harnessed to my will.'

The next moment it sounded as if Sigan was choking. Feeling that this might be important, Arthur gathered his last bits and pieces of consciousness and awareness together, forcing his eyes as far open as he could. Alina did not notice. Her grasp on his hand was so hard that he could hardly feel it anymore, her gaze locked on the confrontation of the two powerful men in front of them.

Arthur could see something of the evil sorcerer now that Merlin had moved aside a bit. The man chocked, collapsing onto the ground, not moving again. For one short moment Arthur allowed himself to believe that he had suffered from a heart attack and had thus died, but then he saw blue smoke emerging from the body, and he knew that hope had been in vain.

The smoke circled over the ground, slowly, but moving towards Merlin, whose entire body had tensed in anticipation of what was going to happen. When the smoke started swirling around his feet he started to chant a spell, his voice steady and determined, with only the slightest hint of fear. But as the soul of Sigan got closer to his face, there was panic there as well. The soul went into the servant and then Merlin collapsed as well.

'Merlin!' Alina shrieked. She let go off his hand and ran over to Merlin, shaking his motionless body over and over again. 'No, no, no, no! _Please_!'

It hurt Arthur to hear her beg like that, desperate for Merlin to show some sign of life. He could not move. It did not feel like he was about to lose consciousness any time soon, but he could not help her either.

Then all of a sudden Merlin's body began to tremble uncontrollably and Alina let go off him, backing away. 'Please,' she whispered. 'Please, let him be all right.'

The trembling stopped as suddenly as it had started. For some endless seconds nothing happened, but then Merlin slowly got up again.

'Ow!' he moaned.

'Merlin?' Alina asked in an uncertain voice. 'Is it you?'

They could not see, for Merlin had had his back turned towards them. For a while Arthur feared that Sigan's soul had taken his servant, but then Merlin turned around, grinning in a very Merlinish way, holding the stone that Cedric had robbed from Sigan's grave, no longer colourless now, but once again blue-coloured.

He heard Alina sigh in relief. 'Thank the heavens! You did it!'

Merlin's grin widened. 'I did it,' he confirmed, sounding as if he could barely believe it himself.

'I knew you would,' Alina said, which Arthur thought was a bit stupid to say. Not a minute ago she had been begging for Merlin to come round. She had most definitely not known it then.

'Now it is your turn,' Merlin said. 'You _must_ heal Arthur.'

'I don't think that I can,' she confessed in a small voice. 'I've never done anything so complex in my entire life! I'm not even sure I have the necessary power to accomplish such a thing!'

'You can do it,' said Merlin confidently. 'I know you can.'

'Can I?' Arthur had never heard her sound so vulnerable before.

Merlin nodded. 'Do it, Alina. We haven't got much time before there are others coming.'

She breathed deeply and then laid her hands on his chest. Before he could wonder what was going on, a warm, tingling feeling spread through his body. Drowsiness accompanied this feeling, promising sleep, promising a careless sleep, promising that everything was going to be okay when he woke up. He trusted this feeling, because he trusted Alina. So he let himself drift off towards a deeper sleep as the pain started to fade away, dreaming dreams that made a whole lot more sense than the dream in which Merlin was a sorcerer defeating another, darker sorcerer.

'Sleep, Arthur,' he heard Alina whisper. 'Sleep now and rest.' And he slept.

**Alina**

She sat at his bedside again, remembering it was not a month ago that she had done that. This time, however, she knew better than to talk to him. Apparently you could never tell what he did and didn't hear. She was not going to make that mistake again. So instead she entertained herself by humming all kinds of songs to herself, both from this time and her own, careful not to sing the lyrics aloud when she thought they revealed too much.

Arthur had been very lucky. Everyone said that. He got a few broken ribs, a sprained ankle and some minor bruises. Gaius suspected that he might have a concussion, but that would be impossible to say before he woke up.

Only Merlin and Alina knew how bad it really had been. Before she had tried her healing magic on him, Arthur had been practically covered in bruises. He had broken bones everywhere, cuts and scratches all over him and a very bad looking wound at his head. All that was bad, but the worst had been his spine, which had been broken by his fall. Even in her time there was no way to remedy that kind of damage, but her powers had achieved what medicines failed to do.

She was now glad that Merlin had persuaded her to use her powers. If she had not, Arthur would never have walked again, she knew that much. By using her magic to keep Arthur healthy and fit, she helped legend along.

There was, however, another part to this healing-thing. She had started to notice some bond with Arthur forming when she had first healed him after the bandit attack. That bond had intensified when she did it again in the courtyard last night. She now had some sense of where Arthur was and some indication of how he felt, even when she was nowhere near him. This frightened her a little bit.

She went over to the window, looking out over the courtyard. It was only the morning after the attack and now you could properly see how great the damage was that Sigan and his pets had done. They had wreaked havoc on the beautiful castle. But more important than the material damage, was the loss of lives. Hundreds of defenceless people had perished last night and she felt a sharp pang of guilt. If she had acted faster, better, could she have prevented this?

'Alina?' Arthur's voice asked weakly.

She turned to find him looking at her. 'Thank the heavens, you're awake.'

He frowned. 'How long have I been sleeping this time?'

She smiled reassuringly. 'Some eight hours, I guess. Just a good night's sleep really. It's just that Gaius tried to wake you and failed. Your father almost freaked out, but I told him there was no need, because, after all, I seriously doubt anyone being capable of waking you when you don't want to.' _You're chattering_, she told herself. _Stop it._

Arthur did not seem to be bothered. 'What happened?'

'You don't remember?' she asked, tensing a little. She was not so sure that he was unconscious during Merlin's encounter with Sigan and her attempt to heal him and now she feared what he might have seen.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes. 'Not much,' he replied. 'I remember falling and you ordering me not to pass out this time, but I think I did very shortly after that.'

She smiled as relief washed over her. Thank the heavens that he did not remember anything after that. It could have changed the legend completely. She did not even dare to think of the consequences of such a change.

She sat herself down on his bedside. 'Well, after you passed out, Merlin came back,' she started to tell him. 'Our friend had finally given him the answer we needed. But we decided that it should be our first priority to get you back to safety, so we carried you over the square. Then Sigan addressed us, demanding that we handed you over to him. Merlin as much told him that he could go to hell, for all he cared, but that he would never get you as long as we were alive.'

Arthur looked intensely at her. 'And you agreed with that?'

She snorted. 'Of course I did. Honestly, Arthur, do you have such a low opinion of me?'

'It's hard to tell sometimes,' he said, blushing, which she pretended not to see. 'What happened then?'

'Merlin kept Sigan talking, while I sneaked around him unseen. He was too busy trying to convince Merlin to give you up to notice me. He kept saying things about how you did not deserve any loyalty, but Merlin did not give in. So then I was behind him and I'm afraid to admit that I stabbed him in the back.' She smiled apologetically. 'Not really knightly behaviour, I know.'

'It's forgiven,' Arthur said. 'Sigan was an evil sorcerer. You had every right to attack him this way.'

'Still, it's honourless,' she insisted. 'Well, after I did that, he fell down. But then, the strangest thing happened. There was this blue smoke kind of thing coming out of his body, floating back into the jewel it had come from in the first place. Merlin said that was supposed to happen. Apparently all you needed to do in order to defeat Sigan was to kill his host and then Sigan would be forced to return to his precious stone.' She shrugged. 'I feel slightly sorry for Cedric, though. After all he had no idea what he got himself into when he decided to rob Sigan's tomb.'

Arthur grinned. 'Yes, and it's a good servant lost.'

She cocked her head. 'You don't believe that, do you? He did lie to you about why he was in Camelot.'

'No need to get all wound up about it!' he said. 'I'm not going to fire Merlin.'

'I'm glad to hear it.'

'Though you can tell him not to call me a clotpole again.'

She started giggling. 'A what?'

'You happen to know what it means?'

'No idea,' she lied. 'Well, I'm going to inform your father that you're awake. That should make his day.'

She wanted to rise, but then he caught her hand. 'Alina, are you sure that is what happened?' he asked intensely.

A shiver went down her spine. _Oh no, what has he seen?_

She forced her face into a smile before she looked at him. 'Yes, of course. Why do you ask?'

Arthur seemed to be thinking very hard. 'It's just that I had the strangest dream about what happened in the square last night. It was so vivid. I wasn't sure that it even was a dream.'

She sat herself back down. 'What was this dream about?' she asked.

'I remember Merlin coming into the courtyard again and then there was another statue flying towards all of us. Merlin used magic to bring it down.'

'Ha!' she laughed. She hoped Arthur could not hear how strained and forced it sounded. 'Merlin? A sorcerer? You must have hit your head harder than I thought.'

'It was just a dream,' he shrugged.

'Can you tell me how it ended?' she asked softly.

'Sigan appeared. He tried to win Merlin over. He did say something about how I didn't deserve his loyalty, offering him power beyond his wildest dreams if Merlin would but choose to join him. Merlin refused. Then Sigan threatened to take over Merlin as he had taken over Cedric. He abandoned Cedric and there was blue smoke trying to consume Merlin, but he used a spell to force Sigan back in his stone.'

'That sounds like an interesting dream,' she said. 'And I think there is a lesson to be learned from it. Two lessons, really.'

He looked at her, not understanding. 'Which lessons?'

'First, that there is nothing Merlin would not do to keep you safe, no matter what the circumstances,' she replied. 'I think your brain forced this knowledge on you by using the dream.'

'It would make sense,' Arthur muttered. 'And _don't_ tell Merlin I said that.'

She laughed. 'Sure.'

He suddenly eyed her warily. 'What's the second lesson?'

Her smile widened. 'That you should stay clear of the cider before going to sleep!' She got up and made a run for it when Arthur forgot himself and threw a pillow at her, which missed her by half a meter.

'Alina!'

'Missed me,' she informed him, before closing the door behind her.

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**I hope you enjoyed that. And on to the tournament next chapter!**


	21. Chapter 21

**And that's chapter 21. I really have nothing more to say, besides another begging for reviews. Come on, guys, let me know what you think!**

**Still don't own Merlin.**

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**Chapter 21**

**Alina**

Connor left a few days after the defeat of Cornelius Sigan. Alina regretted him leaving. She had grown rather fond of her kind-of-brother in the last few weeks. He had filled in the gaps in her memory and knowledge of this time, so that she now had enough information to be able to live here.

'You take care of yourself, little sister,' he had said moments before leaving. 'Keep up the good work.'

'Will do,' she had promised and then he was gone.

For a few months there was a blessed peace and quiet in the kingdom and Alina used that time to learn more about the powers she had inherited from the other Alina. She had told Uther that she wanted to learn more about healing, which provided her with the perfect excuse to spend a lot of time in Gaius' chambers. Merlin and she spent every spare moment they had on reading their magic books, which they shared happily with each other. Together they learned a lot. Alina was mainly interested in healing magic, which she was exceptionally good at, as opposed to Merlin, who could hardly manage to heal a scratch. On the other hand, Merlin excelled in moving objects with his mind. Alina's control of these objects was poorly at best. It happened more than once that a thing flying in the air came suddenly crashing down. The only advantage of this was that she also got a lot of practise in repairing stuff.

Using magic to fight was something they could both do very well. So sometimes, if there was no one else around, they locked the door, moved aside the furniture and practised.

The newest project they were working on was conversing with their minds. Merlin had told her that some of the druids were able to do that and now that he had a partner to practise with, he was dying to see if they could do it as well.

It was probably best that they chose to do it at that particular time, because they got very little time to spare. There was a huge jousting tournament coming up and that kept them both exceptionally busy. Merlin was busy running around after Arthur and cleaning every place in the palace. Alina had to devote herself to the tedious business of welcoming noble visitors along with Uther and Morgana.

_You having fun?_ Merlin thought one day at her.

_Fun? Thought not_, she thought back at him, pleased she was getting better at this. _I'm simply dying for an excuse to get out of here._

_Who is it this time?_

_Lord Godwin is talking to no one else but Uther about something incredibly dull, so Morgana and I are really getting bored in here. What are you up to?_

_Handing Arthur his lances and watching him break them on less fortunate knights._

_Sounds a lot more interesting than hearing this endless chatter._

_Why don't you come over here?_

_I don't have a good enough excuse. Since Arthur can't be here, because he is so busy training, as his fiancée I have to represent him._

_Well_, he thought teasingly. _You better get used to it, since it is part of your destiny to welcome noble guests to Camelot._

_And thank you _so_ much for reminding me_, she growled over the mind link. _That's just _exactly_ what I needed to hear right now._

_I think you're really overdoing the sarcasm lately_, he thought. She could almost see his grin.

'You all right, Alina?' Morgana asked, distracting her from the mental conversation that was going on.

She smiled quickly. 'Just getting bored,' she replied.

'Then get out of here,' Morgana said. 'Didn't I say that sir Leon asked me to ask you to come over to training this afternoon, to help him on his jousting techniques?' she asked innocently. 'I thought I had mentioned it, but that was probably just to Gwen, to ask her to help remind me, isn't that true, Gwen?'

Gwen blinked. 'I believe it is, milady.'

'Well, if that is the case, I'd better hurry,' Alina said, sighing in relief. 'Thank you for passing the message along, Morgana. Would you give my apologies to the king?'

'Sure, Alina,' Uther's ward said with a conspirator's smile. 'You go. Have fun,' she added in a hushed voice.

'I owe you,' she promised. 'You're an angel, Morgana.'

She got out of the room as quick as she could. She really started to like Morgana, even though she knew what this friendly young woman would turn out to be. It was impossible to dislike her. With her open smile, kind eyes and quick wits she had won Alina over in a matter of minutes after they had first been introduced.

Maybe, Alina pondered as she made her way to the training field, if she truly was destined to change the legend, she could change Morgana's path in life as well. She still wasn't too sure about that whole changing-the-legend-as-she-knew-it thing, but she had already accepted that it was her destiny to protect Arthur. If she had not been convinced of that, she probably would not have healed him.

When her thoughts got to Arthur again, she became more aware of him. Most of the time she could easily ignore this still strange awareness of his whereabouts and his mood, but once she focused on it, she could feel it strongly. The prince was on the training field. She knew that even without the connection or Merlin telling her. Where else would he be only days before the tournament started? He had a reputation to maintain, so he could not afford to miss a day's training.

His mood was more of a surprise. Arthur was, there really was no other word for it, grumpy. The connection did not tell her what the reason for his bad mood was, but she could safely say that it had something to do with the training and something not going the way he wanted it to.

She spotted Merlin before he saw her.

_Hey_, she greeted him with her mental voice. _Any objections to some company?_

He turned around, one of his wide smiles forming on his face. _You made it!_ _How did you get out?_

_Morgana covered for me_, she explained. _How's his royal clotpole doing?_

He chuckled. _Brilliant, of course. He hasn't lost up till now, which means he's going to think even more of himself than he already did._

She came standing next to him, watching Arthur charge at sir Leon. The lance hit the other knight in the middle of his chest, shattering the lance and unhorsing the man. He made quite a fall and she could hear his muffled cry of pain, not that clearly because he was more or less canned. It was entirely beyond her how one could want to go around in all that armour, hindering you in your movements and limiting your view of your surroundings.

Merlin walked over to Arthur and Alina followed, because there was nothing else to do.

'Ooh,' Merlin said when he took the lance from Arthur. 'That has got to hurt.'

Arthur took off his helmet, probably to get some fresh air. He wasn't likely to get it in there. 'That's the point, Merlin,' he snapped. 'It's not a pillow fight.' Oh yes, he really had a bad temper right now.

'Oh, for a moment I thought it was,' Merlin muttered under his breath, so that only Alina could hear. 'It's equally pointless.'

Arthur noticed her when she chuckled. 'Alina!' he called out in surprise. 'What are you doing here?'

'Officially I'm here to give sir Leon some pointers on how to joust,' she replied. 'Unofficially I was bored to death in there, so I got out to have some fun watching you guys prepare for the tournament.'

'You're not supposed to be here, Alina,' Arthur said, very irritated. She could feel it both in his voice and through their connection.

'I know,' she replied cheerfully. 'But since I am here now, I guess you'll have to live with it. You're not afraid you'll lose, are you now?'

'Don't be ridiculous, Alina,' he said in a voice he usually saved to use on Merlin. 'I never lose.'

'Sure,' she said with something that she hoped was not too close to a smirk.

Arthur decided to ignore her. 'Fetch me another lance, will you, Merlin?'

Merlin turned around to get the lance. _He's such a prat!_ he thought angrily.

_I know_, she replied in a soothing mental voice. _Just be patient. Eventually he _will_ change._

_You better be right about that._

Merlin handed Arthur another lance and the prince turned away without as much as thanking him.

'Prat,' the young warlock mumbled.

'He most certainly is,' Alina agreed, because at that moment it was nothing but the truth. Arthur still had a long way to go before he was going to be the king the legends spoke of.

Arthur galloped forward again, appearing to be hitting sir Leon just as hard as the first time, which had Alina wondering how it would feel to be little more than a noble boxing ball. For some reason it did not seem much fun to her.

Then, something happened. The sun broke through the clouds, shining on Leon's armour, the light bouncing off it, straight into Arthur's eyes. And Arthur did as any man in his senses would have done: he turned away, leaving his chest open for Leon's attack. But the knight was much to honourable for that. He galloped past the prince without even trying to hit him.

Arthur's anger took her completely by surprise. The force of it had her stumble backwards, fighting to get her balance.

'Are you okay?' Merlin asked, worried. He took her arm and helped her steady herself.

'I'm fine,' she assured him. 'But he is _really_ pissed right now.'

Even if she would not have known it through their bond, of which Arthur was completely unaware, she would have known by the way he threw his lance to the ground, jumped off his horse and walked over to his knights.

'Why did you pull out? I was wide open!' he started to shout as soon as he had taken his helmet off. 'You could have unhorsed me!'

'I was fearful that I might injure you, sire,' Leon explained.

The look on Arthur's face was priceless. Shock and then anger again. He kept on shouting at poor sir Leon. 'You had the advantage. You can't afford to hesitate!'

Sir Leon hesitated now, before he answered, but in the end he did answer. 'I wouldn't have done if I were facing a different opponent.'

Now there really was shock on Arthur's face as it dawned upon him that maybe the reason he always won, was not because he was so invincible, but because his knights were going easy on him. If she knew Arthur at all, that was bound to wound his ego.

'You are the future king, my lord,' Leon went on, braver now that Arthur was too stunned to respond to his words.

Arthur's eyes narrowed. He eyed the knight suspiciously. 'You jousted against me in the tournament last year. Are you saying you let me win?'

'No, my lord,' he replied, but Alina didn't think anyone bought that.

Arthur wasn't fooled at least. His anger pulsed through their connection. He turned to face the other knights, who all looked down, not risking it to meet his eyes. 'It doesn't matter who I am. I do not expect any special treatment from you' (he looked at Leon whilst saying this and the knight looked down in shame) 'from _any_ of you! Is that understood?'

The knights all nodded, but Alina could see that they only did this because he expected it from them. When it came to it, none of them would really want to win from Arthur. And it looked like she was not the only one who noticed this.

Arthur walked away from them.

'I can't believe it!' he snarled when he walked past Alina, beckoning for her to come with him.

'I'm not surprised, really,' she said calmly.

He halted immediately. 'You knew?'

The truth would be that she knew because she knew the show inside out, but it would be far from wise to try and explain that to Arthur. So she just shrugged and said: 'Well, there had to be some reason why you always win.'

'What's wrong with thinking I win because I'm actually good at this?' The steam was practically coming out of his ears by now.

'Nothing,' she replied. 'It's only wrong to think that you can always win, because no one can, unless, of course, others let you win, to prevent you from having to deal with the consequences of a bad day, like the rest of us.' After saying that she left him to think that over.

**Merlin**

By the time they had reached Arthur's chambers, the prince had been talking and thinking himself into one of his worst tempers in months. Arthur had been going on and on about others letting him win and how that was not fair and Merlin was tired of listening to his ravings as soon as he had started them. But since it was part of his job to put up with everything Arthur did, he was stuck listening to him.

'How am I going to prove myself if my opponents aren't trying their hardest!' Arthur wondered very loudly, throwing his helmet onto the table.

'I'm sure it's not happening all of the time,' Merlin replied absent-mindedly, wishing Arthur would stop throwing his armour so forcefully to the ground. It was his job after all to make sure that it was in perfect condition and repairing it was something that he did not have too much time for now, not on top of all the preparations for the tournament. Maybe if he used magic…?

His words had, however, not the soothing effect he had hoped for. Quite the opposite, actually. They only seemed to further enrage Arthur. 'So, it's happening some of the time?' he asked sharply.

Oops. Everyone in Camelot, apart from Arthur and Uther, knew that the knights let Arthur win whenever he had a bad day, as to not damage his reputation. On good days, Arthur didn't need their help, because he really was a skilful warrior, but still, it did happen. Only Arthur was not supposed to find that out. It was an unwritten law in Camelot.

'No, I'm certain it isn't!' he quickly said, but he could see that Arthur was not fooled for even a second. He had made a slip-up and Arthur jumped on it like a hungry wolf on a piece of meat.

'Now you're doing it!' he exclaimed. 'You're telling me exactly what you think I want to hear!' He threw the last bit of armour smashing on the stone floor.

'Yes,' Merlin said without thinking, his mind mainly preoccupied with asking himself how in heaven's name he was going to get all those dents out of the armour before morning with all the other chores he had to do as well.

Arthur's disbelieving look pulled him back into reality.

'Eh, no,' he said, looking desperately for a way out of here before he could say anything that would infuriate his boss even more. 'What was the question?'

'Argh!' Arthur sighed in anger. 'That just proves it! All my life I've been treated as if I am special!'

_Well, that might be because you are_, Merlin thought.

'I just want to be treated like everyone else!' he said, sighing again.

There was a genuine wish for that in the prince's voice and suddenly Merlin found that he wasn't angry or annoyed with him anymore. It must be hard in some ways to be always the special one, to never be able to slip away into anonymity.

'Really?' Merlin asked.

'You have no idea how lucky you are,' Arthur said.

Lucky wasn't exactly the word Merlin would use to describe his circumstances. Right now he had a whole armour to repair on top of all his other chores and he had no idea how he would get them all done by morning without using magic.

'Well, anytime you want to swap places, just let me know,' he said, collecting the bits and pieces and then lifting the armour off the floor.

He had not expected Arthur to take this seriously. But when the prince turned around, his whole face lit up at the idea. 'That's not a totally stupid idea,' he said, sounding completely serious.

That was of course not what he had meant. It had been merely a joke, so now it was his place to tell Arthur something he apparently did not want to hear. 'You're prince Arthur. You can't change who you are.' After saying that he walked out of the room.

But right before he disappeared out of earshot he heard Arthur talk to himself. 'Yes, I can,' he said in the tone he always used when he thought he had a brilliant idea and Merlin could not help but feeling that this one, like all the others, meant nothing more than an awful lot of trouble coming his way.

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**Trouble is certainly coming. Wait for it…**


	22. Chapter 22

**Good morning everyone, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it and will you please review?**

**Oh, I still don't won Merlin (surprise, surprise).**

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**Chapter 22**

**Alina**

_Arthur's gone mad_, Merlin interrupted her thoughts when she was dressing for dinner two days later.

_I thought he'd already had_, she thought back at him, raising a mental eyebrow. _What's he done this time?_

_He wants to compete in the tournament_, Merlin replied.

She raised the mental eyebrow a little further. _And how's that any different from what he was going to do anyway?_

_He wants to do it anonymously. _

She remembered it now. Of course he was. This was the beginning of the episode, another big event. This was the start of the relationship between Arthur and Gwen. She never thought this a very important episode, but she now changed her mind on that subject. Arthur had shown some jealousy when it came to Merlin and her. It was pretty obvious that he liked her. Merlin had told her that Arthur usually had eyes for every pretty girl, but the pretty girls in town had not gotten as much as a quick look from him since she had shown up. Merlin had not realised the importance of what he had told her, but she certainly had. Anyway, Merlin wanted her to accept her destiny, all of it.

_Great_, she commented. _There's another of my big events coming. Let me guess, he's going to tell his father he will be out of town for a couple of days at dinner?_

_You really know everything, don't you?_ Merlin asked, his mental tone one of surprise.

_You should stop sounding so surprised every time. It's getting slightly annoying_, she replied. _Did you find some place to let him stay during the tournament?_

_Not yet_, Merlin confessed. _Do you have any suggestions?_

She pretended to think a second or two about that question before answering. _Well, you could always ask Gwen. Her house is not too close to the castle and not a lot of people come there. I think you can trust her not to tell a soul._

_You don't think, you know_, he corrected her. _If this is one of your big events, you know everything that's going to happen in the next couple of days. So you already know he's going to stay with Gwen, don't you?_

_Caught me_, she admitted. _Well, I better get down to dinner. Uther's going to kill me if I'm late._

Even though there were a lot of nobles staying in the castle, Uther had required a private dinner with just Arthur and her attending, while Morgana entertained the guests. Alina suspected that Uther also had enough of all lord Godwin's endless chatter and she really couldn't blame him. His lordship was a kind man, but his mouth was his main characteristic. He always talked and mostly about nothing interesting. Even Arthur had to admit he was even more useless than Merlin on that account and that was saying something.

Arthur and Uther were already there when she arrived.

'Good evening to you both,' she greeted them as she walked in.

Uther smiled. 'Good evening, Alina. You're a little late.'

'Well, you know how it is with ladies,' she replied. 'They don't leave their rooms until they believe they look the best they can manage.'

From the corner of her eyes she saw that Arthur's jaw had dropped. He was really staring at her. At first, she felt flattered, but then she remembered that he was not supposed to look at her like that and she became irritated instead. She had not even dressed up really. She wore a long, simple green dress and hardly any jewellery, her hair hanging down in a single braid. She had no idea what he was watching at.

'You certainly succeeded, my lady,' Arthur said.

'Then you are either a poor judge of beauty or a very good liar,' she replied. _It's not me you should be looking at, you idiot. You should look at Gwen._

'I can't believe that's true,' Uther argued. 'You look beautiful.'

She dropped the subject, changing it to the upcoming tournament instead. The king and prince let her distract them and soon they were discussing the participants and disagreeing on who would have a chance at winning.

_What's wrong with you?_ Merlin wondered.

_Nothing,_ she lied.

He heard that. _Alina, what's wrong with Arthur noticing that you do actually look good?_

Great, he had also noticed when her mood had changed. It was a miracle no one else had. _How is Arthur supposed to fall in love with the woman he is destined to marry if he can't keep his eyes off me?_

He shrugged. _He won't, I suppose, but the dragon says…_

_The dragon can go to hell_. She meant that. Sometimes she thought the enormous beast caused more problems than he helped solve. And on this particular subject she was convinced that he was wrong. She would not change legend. Ever.

Before Merlin could respond, Arthur drew their attention.

'We've received reports that a beast has been sighted roaming the forests near the northern borders,' he began.

'What's the nature of this beast?' Uther asked.

Alina kept her head down, focussing on her plate, hoping she would not burst out into laughing when Arthur would describe this non-existent animal. She had been laughing each time when she saw this scene, because she kept trying to picture this beast in her head and it had always been a rather amusing picture.

'It is said to have the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle and… the face of a… eh… bear,' Arthur said.

Alina bit back her laughter, making it look like coughing instead. Merlin chuckled, almost knocking over Uther's goblet, which he was filling. He finished his job and quickly hid behind one of the columns, trying not to show how funny he thought this was. Arthur shot him an angry look.

_The face of a bear?_ Alina thought at Merlin. _Honestly, couldn't he come up with something better than that?_

Merlin shrugged. _It was his idea._

_Thought it was. I somehow have a little trouble imaging you coming up with something so completely ridiculous._

Uther was the only person in the room who was fooled by Arthur's little deception. He looked very serious, not at all like he could burst into laughter any second now.

'I believe it has been conjured by sorcery,' Arthur continued, sipping his water.

If Uther had doubts about the existence of such an animal, than they were smothered by Arthur's announcement that the beast was magical. There was only one answer Uther could give to that. 'Then we must destroy it,' he said immediately.

_Surprise, surprise._

'I'll leave for the northern borders in the morning,' Arthur replied, playing the role of the dutiful prince rather well.

'But you'll miss the tournament,' Uther said, sounding a bit disappointed.

_No, he won't._

'As much as I want to compete, my duty to Camelot comes first,' Arthur said.

_Really, he's a bit overdoing it, isn't he?_ Merlin grinned.

_Definitely._

'You're right, of course,' Uther said. 'Then I'll wish you the very best of luck.'

* * *

'Hey, Arthur!' Alina called. 'Wait a second.'

After dinner she ran straight after him, catching up with him at the end of the corridor.

'You're not coming with me, Alina,' he said without turning to look at her.

She came walking beside him. 'That's a shame,' she said with a smile. 'I was rather looking forward to hunting this imaginary creature in the forest. I so much wanted to see this bear-faced beast.'

'It's not imaginary!' Arthur exclaimed. 'It's been attacking people left and right.'

'Sure,' she said in a voice that suggested exactly the opposite. 'I told you, you should stay clear of the cider before going to bed. It makes you dream the strangest things.' She ducked out of his way when he tried to hit her. 'Missed me.'

'I'm not drunk!'

'No, just trying to get out of Camelot without anyone suspecting anything.'

'Why is it so hard for you to believe that there is such a beast, Alina?' he asked in a very irritated voice.

'Because it doesn't exist,' she replied calmly. 'I spend a lot of time with Gaius these days and I've never heard of such a beast. It must be a fearsome thing to behold, _had_ it really existed. Besides, Merlin does seem to think this funny too, so…' she let her voice trail off, letting him connect the dots himself.

'Merlin told you this,' he concluded.

'Your brain never fails you, does it, once you start using it.'

'I told him not to tell!' the prince growled.

'Don't blame him,' she said. 'I didn't give him much of a choice. Anyway, I'd like to help, if there's anything I can do.' _Help to get you and Gwen together, that is_, she added in her mind.

'I think Merlin has it all covered,' Arthur replied coolly.

_Poor Merlin_. 'Well, if you need me, just let me know,' she said. 'And good luck in the tournament!'

**Arthur**

Arthur could not wait to get out of the castle. Ever since he learned that his knights were actually letting him win, he had been dying to prove himself, _really_ prove himself.

It had been a blow to his self-confidence to hear sir Leon confess that he had not attacked Arthur as he would have done another man. God knows how many times he had won a duel or a jousting match because people had let him win. He always won, so he had just assumed he was just that good. It had never occurred to him that there might be another reason for his victories.

Alina was the only one who had defeated him in years. He had to admit that she truly was very handy with a sword, but he also wondered how many of his knights were capable of doing the same.

Well, it was a relief to finally leave. He had selected three of his most trusted men to "accompany" him. He had them sworn to secrecy and then told them that he was not going with them. They were to ride to the north, camp somewhere and return to Camelot in four days' time.

As they were a good distance from the city, he halted and dismounted.

'I'll meet you here in four days,' he reminded them. 'You must tell no one I've returned to Camelot.'

The men nodded and went on north. Arthur watched them go and then started to look around him. Merlin was supposed to be hiding somewhere around here. He was supposed to be here an hour ago. But of course his lazy servant was nowhere to be seen. Typical Merlin. Why was he never there when Arthur needed him most?

Something came crashing through the bushes and when he looked at it, he saw Merlin running towards him, late as usual. To make this even worse, he tripped over his own feet and Arthur had to help him up again, because he had fallen face flat in the mud. Some pheasants made a run for it.

'You're late,' Arthur told him. There had been an awful lot wrong with Cedric, being possessed by an evil sorcerer being one of his faults, but at least he did not have the gut to be late.

Merlin panted heavily. 'Sorry. Gaius… mobbing… the floors.' He illustrated his words by making the matching moves with his hands.

_I know what mobbing the floors looks like. I've seen you doing it about a thousand times._ But he saved himself the trouble of saying that aloud, instead taking the bag Merlin was carrying from him to change.

One look in the bag made him almost regret the decision to do this. The clothes inside were not at all like the clothes he was used to. They were of simpler fabric, far less comfortable than his own. In fact they looked very much like…

'What is that smell?' he asked, when pulling the shirt over his head. 'Whose clothes are these?'

'They're mine,' Merlin replied indignantly, thus confirming Arthur's worst suspicions. 'I washed them especially.'

_You wouldn't say._

'Are you sure this is a good idea?' his servant asked when he saw the expression that was doubtlessly forming on Arthur's face, the expression that said that this was obviously the wrong decision.

_No._ 'It seems that pretending to be somebody else is the only way to get people to be honest with me,' he said and when he said that he knew it was true and that he had to go through with this. These few inconveniences he would have to swallow, because he absolutely wanted people to really fight him like they did another opponent, someone else than Alina, that was.

He put the cloak on. 'Grab my bag, will you,' he told Merlin.

'If you want to pass as a peasant, you should probably carry your own bag,' Merlin said with a huge smile on his face. The boy was enjoying this part of the plan a little too much.

'You're forgetting something, Merlin,' he said, picking the bag up and throwing it at his face. 'No one will know it is my bag.' He grinned, feeling very pleased with himself for outwitting his servant and wiping that annoying smile of his face. How Alina could stand it to be in his company so often and enjoy it was completely beyond him.

But nothing could keep Merlin quiet for long. He had walked only a few steps, before his complaining voice caught up with him. 'There must be easier ways to prove yourself?'

'Shut up, Merlin.'

Arthur did not think that Merlin fully understood what he felt. After all, Merlin never had to prove himself. People always were honest with him. It was only expected of him that he did his chores right. Sometimes Arthur truly wished that they could swap places, that Merlin had the care of the kingdom on his shoulders and that he could have a few days off, occasionally doing some easy chores, and finding excuses to dodge the rest of them.

Merlin had persuaded Guinevere to let him stay in her house, so that was where they headed. He had the hood of his cloak hide his face and it was remarkable how much people's behaviour changed when they did not know who you were.

At the gate he accidentally kicked over a box with apples. 'Watch where you're going, you blind idiot!' the owner of the box yelled at him in an angry voice.

He wanted to turn around and tell this man that he would get a day in the stocks for talking to him like that, when he realised that he could not do that anymore. After all, he now pretended to be a peasant and peasants had no right to throw someone's ass in jail, no matter how much he deserved it. So he just groaned in frustration and walked on. This was going to be a very difficult four days.

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**Thanks for reading!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Here's the next chapter for you guys and thanks so much for reviewing, favouriting and alerting! Please keep reviewing.**

**As some of you might have guessed already, I don't actually own Merlin.**

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**Chapter 23**

**Merlin**

Merlin was not at all sure that Arthur's plan was such a good idea, but as his servant he had no choice but to help him. Arthur was so used to luxury that he was not likely to have an easy time without all his nice clothes and his huge room, which was at least the size of Gwen's entire house.

It went wrong from the beginning. Arthur just walked into the house, without giving Gwen as much as a glimpse or an hello, as any normal person would have done. He only acknowledged her existence when she bowed, saying 'my lord' in a loud and clear voice. Irritation was obviously there.

He turned around, almost surprised at her being there. 'Guinevere.' There was a moment of awkward silence and then he added: 'It's good of you to let me stay in your home.'

'I'm happy to help,' she said, not sounding happy at all, just nervous and irritated. Arthur, of course, did not notice that at all.

'Food,' Merlin whispered. Lesson number one in dealing with Arthur was that you had to make sure that there was enough food in his belly at all times, because if there wasn't, he was bound to be very moody at best.

'I'll prepare some food for you,' Gwen said quickly.

Arthur just smiled and then turned his back on her, clearly inspecting the house and not at all pleased with what he saw.

Gwen looked furiously at his back. 'I can't believe you talked me into this,' she hissed at Merlin.

_No, I can't believe I did that either. What is Alina playing at? _He walked over to Arthur while Gwen started to prepare some food.

'You can't expect me to stay here,' Arthur said, hardly hushing his voice, so Merlin was sure Gwen heard that as well. Did Arthur have no shame whatsoever?

'We need to keep you out of sight,' he pointed out. 'We can trust Gwen not to tell anyone you're here.'

'I doubt anyone will believe it,' Arthur said in a condescending voice.

'Well, if you can't do without your big bed and your soft pillows…' He let his voice trail off, leaving Arthur to finish it in his head. Because if he could not do that, he would have to call of the plan and return to the castle and that was something the prince would never do.

'This will be fine,' Arthur said, suggesting that it would be exactly the opposite. Then he switched to another, more pressing subject. 'How are the preparations coming along? Have you found someone to play a knight in the tournament?'

'Absolutely, well Alina did, to be honest,' he replied. 'He's a farmer, from one of the outlying villages and no one will recognize him.' _At least no one will after we're done with him_. 'Alina is bringing him. They should be here any minute now.'

'But does he look the part?' Arthur pressed.

A knock on the door saved Merlin the necessity to answer that question. He walked over to the door and opened it.

'Hey, Merlin,' his friend greeted. 'Everything fine?' She beckoned the chosen farmer in. 'Go on, prince Arthur won't bite.' And then, in a softer voice: 'Not too hard at least.'

Merlin bit back his laughter. _As if you wouldn't know how everything is going_, he teased her. _You know everything that's happening here_.

_One of my many gifts_, she replied. _And I'm not so sure I know_ everything.

Merlin looked at what she was looking at, Arthur of course. The prince tried to not be disgusted by the dirty farmer. The man looked like he was dragged away from his fields only minutes ago. Then his gaze shifted to the princess and his eyes widened again. Merlin understood that as well. The princess looked absolutely stunning in her deep purple dress, a fact that she appeared to be completely oblivious to. Merlin knew that it was not her intention to attract any attention to herself, especially not from Arthur, but she was doomed to fail in that quest. She simply was beautiful, no matter what she wore.

'Seeing something interesting?' she asked in a sharp voice.

'Ehm… what?' Arthur said, sounding a little confused.

She walked over and hit him in the face. 'I'd like you to keep your eyes on eyelevel,' she snapped. 'Not any lower, understood?'

'Ow!' he complained.

'You deserved that,' she told him. 'Well, what do you think of our knight?' She gestured to the farmer, who was feeling very uncomfortable in the presence of two important people.

Arthur studied the man and tried to hide his disgust as best he could, which was not so good, and then replied: 'Great.' The sarcasm in his voice could escape no one.

Merlin, Gwen and Merlin made it their duty to wash, shave and clothe the farmer, who, now he knew that Arthur was not going to do anything nasty to him, seemed to rather enjoy himself. Merlin wondered when it was the last time he washed.

_Year ago?_ Alina suggested over the mind link.

_Two years_, Merlin disagreed. _What did you mean earlier, when you said that you didn't know everything? _This way of talking was so much easier than talking out loud, because you could discuss delicate matters without anyone else listening in.

_It's just that Arthur has not even looked at Gwen and it seems unlikely he ever will_, she replied.

_GWEN?_ he echoed. _Why on earth would he want to look at her? Not that she's not a nice girl to look at, I mean._

_I understand what you're trying to say_, she replied before he could start talking incoherently, as he tended to do when he was confused. _But legend says that she is the Once and Future Queen and Arthur hardly acknowledges her existence. I know, because of this stupid connection. Somehow, when he sees me, there's this rush of feelings… I can't make anything of it, but he does not have that when looking at Gwen._

_That's because he's in love with you, and not with Gwen._

_He's not in love with me_, she protested.

_You're blushing_, he observed.

_Am not_.

_Well, if you're so confused, you should go talk to the dragon. If anyone knows…_

_I'm not sure I want to go there again. You know that in the end he only thinks about what's best for him and somehow he thinks that it's best for him if I marry Arthur._

He shrugged, helping Gwen to put the chainmail on the farmer. The man nearly collapsed under the weight of it and they had to help him stand upright again.

'Wow, steady!' Alina laughed.

'I'm sorry, milady,' the man said, turning bright red at the shame of falling down in the presence of royalty.

She smiled reassuringly. 'It's all right,' she said. 'You'll get used to it soon enough. Somehow I always seem to forget how heavy that stuff really is, which is why I use it as little as possible.'

The farmer smiled hesitantly back, not sure if that was considered appropriate. Arthur thought it wasn't, but Alina thought it was. But then, she treated all people as her equals, including servants and farmers.

She adjusted some clothing, gave him a sword and shield and then held him at arm's length to inspect their work. 'I'd say you look perfect.'

The farmer blushed.

Merlin unrolled a faked seal of nobility, hoping that Geoffrey of Monmouth would not feel the urge to check it this time. 'From now on, you're sir William of Deira,' he announced.

Arthur made a show of looking away in despair, which earned him a furious look from Alina.

'Fine,' he said. 'But we have to work on his manners.'

'Arthur!' Alina said angrily. 'You can't talk about people like that, especially when they're in the same room as you.'

'But…,' Arthur started to protest, but another violent look from Alina shut him up.

'If you're going to be king one day, you'll have to learn to start acting like one, including being nice to all people. Besides, I thought you had learned to address nobility with a little more respect than you do now.'

'He's not…'

'He's sir William of Deira,' she said. 'And you will show him the respect that he's entitled to. After all, you're a mere peasant, who has no right to behave like this.'

That shut him up nicely. Merlin had to do his best to suppress a smile. Alina was one of the few people who could tell Arthur that he had to behave himself. Merlin would love to do that himself from time to time, but since he couldn't, it was almost as good to hear Alina do it for him.

They all sat down at the table, except sir William, who stood before them to receive some lessons in how to behave like a noble.

Merlin started. 'Imagine you're really arrogant. Knights like to think they're so much better than everyone else.' _There Arthur, you better do something with that._

'It's not arrogance!' Arthur protested and then turned to their new knight. 'Ignore him, he's an idiot. A knight must behave with honour and nobility.'

_He is such a clotpole!_ Merlin thought at Alina.

She shrugged. _I know, but what can I do about it?_

Sir William straightened his back a little, raised his head and walked about the room with stiff steps. The effect was very funny to see, and Merlin had to work hard again not to chuckle. He knew the farmer did his best.

'That's… better,' Arthur said, not sounding very convincing. 'You must convince everyone that you were born into a noble family.'

That seemed to have the desired effect. Sir William looked down at Merlin, eyebrows raised. 'Polish my armour, boy,' he said in a sublime imitation of most knight's way of talking to their servants.

Merlin's jaw dropped. This was not going to happen, was it?

Arthur finally started to smile. 'Now you're getting the hang of it!' Both men laughed. Arthur turned to Merlin. 'That's a good point. You do need to polish our armour.'

'Yeah,' sir William agreed.

Gwen and Alina quickly turned their faces away, to stop Merlin from noticing their giggles. Merlin himself could hardly believe what he was hearing. Was there no end to his chores? How on earth was he going to get them all done in time?

_I'll help_, Alina offered. _If we use magic we can get through all that work before morning_.

_You would help?_ Merlin thought surprised.

_Of course._

_It's just that most nobles…_

_I'm not most nobles._

Merlin got up. 'Well, I'd best get started then,' he said.

'Yeah,' sir William said. The man was really enjoying himself a little too much here. 'You better be quick about it.'

Merlin chose to ignore that. He just walked over to the door as if no one had spoken, which was the best way to deal with situations like these.

'I'll come with you,' Alina said. 'Good day everyone.'

**Alina**

'I can't believe how much work he's given me!' Merlin exclaimed when they were out of earshot.

'Don't fuss,' Alina said to him. 'I told you I'll help. And I'm not backing out.'

'I'd wish Arthur would try to polish his own armour from time to time,' Merlin muttered crankily.

'You wouldn't want to,' Alina contradicted.

'Oh no?'

'Of course not. You would die of shame if he wore that armour to the tournament,' she joked and then they both laughed.

She was happy she had succeeded in cheering him up. Would it be that her own problems were as easy to solve. She knew that there was more than enough time to let Arthur and Gwen get closer, but there was something in the way Arthur looked and talked to her, especially since they had defeated Cornelius Sigan, that made this all highly unlikely. She needed some answers, she had decided, and she needed them fast.

'You best get started,' she told Merlin. 'I'll come to help you as soon as I can, but there's something that needs doing first.'

He looked at her, not understanding. 'What are you going to do then?'

She took a deep breath. 'I'm going to get some answers.'

'You're going to see the dragon.' It was more a conclusion than a question.

She nodded. 'I most definitely am.'

As Merlin made his way back to Arthur's chamber, Alina went down towards the dungeons. She distracted the guards easily, by lighting some torches in the bordering room, and then ran down to the dragon's cave.

When she came there, the beast was nowhere to be seen. _I wonder how big this cave really is_, she pondered. _It must be huge_.

'Hello?' she bellowed, hearing her own voice echo of the walls several times. 'Could you please come here? I'd like to ask you some questions.'

'I'm sure you want to, young sorceress,' the deep voice of the dragon said. The next moment he came flying down with incredible speed, landing smoothly on the rock she knew he always sat on whilst talking to Merlin. Even though she knew this was how he liked to make his entrance, it still gave her a good fright.

'I wished you stopped doing that,' she said in a disapproving voice. 'You scare the crap out of me.'

The dragon laughed. 'I did not mean to frighten you, young sorceress. Tell me, what is it you have come to ask of me?'

'Why is it that Arthur does hardly look at the woman he's supposed to marry?' she blurted out. 'He doesn't even seem to like her.'

The dragon laughed. 'Why, it's because of you, Alina. Your being here has made it impossible for him to look at any other women.'

'I did not enchant him, if that's what you are trying to say,' she snapped at him. The fact that he seemed to find this conversation or her amusing did not please her.

'That is not what I mean to say.'

She waited for him to continue, but he didn't. 'Well, perhaps you would like to explain what it is that you _do_ mean, or do you want me to wait till the end of time to find out? Why does Arthur not look at the woman he is destined to marry? The legend is very clear on that subject, so why is it not happening?'

'It's because of you, Alina. The legend you know is what would have happened, had you not existed. The legend did not yet know your part, because you were not yet born.'

As confusing as this was, it did make some sense, she supposed. 'So, because I now do exist, I change the legend, just by existing?' she summarized.

'That's true, young sorceress.'

'Than I have failed already,' she realised. 'You should have told me! If I'd known this I would have gone with Connor!'

The dragon just looked at her, waiting for her to connect the dots, which she did only a few seconds later.

'Oh, great!' she hissed. 'Of course you did not tell me. You want me to fulfil my destiny. Did it never cross your mind that there happen to be people who do not want to have a big, important destiny? Do you think of no one but yourself?'

A growl from the dragon cut her off. 'Do not pretend that you know my mind, Alina!'

'Then maybe it's about time that you tell me instead of me having to guess at it,' she suggested, wanting very badly to kick the enormous beast. She was so done with listening to his riddles!

But, if she was really honest with herself, her anger was mainly directed at her destiny. And strangely so, this had very little to do with her having to marry Arthur. She was not as disgusted by the idea as she once had been. If she let herself feel what she wanted to feel, she actually quite liked him. Of course, he could still be as big a clotpole as ever, from time to time, but she could also see more and more signs of the man he would become, the man he was destined to become.

What fuelled her anger at the dragon was fear really, fear almost up to the point where it became outright panic. She had thought she had already accepted her destiny, at least the part that said that she had to stay here and help Merlin in his destiny to protect Arthur. But now she had come to terms with the last bits as well: marrying Arthur and thus changing legend, damaging it beyond repair.

Could she let herself be responsible for that? She trembled at the thought of what she would unknowingly, unwillingly unleash if she made that final step. Up till now she had known everything. In some way, this had been safe, even when she had to fight witches and magical beasts. But now she felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, about to walk into nothing, leaving the safe ground behind her, falling into uncertainty.

The dragon moved its head closer to her, compassion obvious in his enormous eyes. 'Arthur was destined not only to marry you, but also to love you, as you were meant to love him.'

'This is the stuff of prophecies?' she asked, hardly keeping her voice from breaking.

'It is, Alina.'

'I'm frightened,' she confessed in a small voice.

The dragon smiled, which was a very strange thing to see. 'I know, young sorceress. But there is no escaping it. You have entered upon destiny's path. You can't turn from it now.'

'I know,' she said and when she spoke those words, for the first time she did fully realise how true they were.

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**Thanks for reading. Please review!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Writing is going great, so here's the next chapter. Would you please remember to review?**

**And no, Merlin is still not mine.**

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**Chapter 24**

**Merlin**

With a lot of help from Alina Merlin had managed to get all his chores finished by morning. He had even had a little sleep before having to prepare Arthur for the first match. Still, he felt exhausted. He could barely keep himself from yawning every ten seconds.

'Stop being such a girl, Merlin,' Arthur said when he was helping him into his armour. Merlin had just yawned for the fourth time in two minutes and Arthur, who was being really nervous, although he contradicted that, got irritated by that.

'Stop being such a prat,' Merlin retorted.

'Morning, guys,' Alina said when she came in with sir William.

'What are you doing here, Alina?' Arthur asked crankily.

'Come, come,' she said in a soothing voice. 'Is that the way you greet your friends nowadays? Besides, I could not leave Merlin to help you both with your armour, now, could I?'

'This is inappropriate,' Arthur said.

'Now, now, look who's having a bad temper this morning,' she remarked. 'You had to get up too early, I take it? Or is it just the nerves?'

'Will you please shut up?'

'Nerves it is,' she decided.

Arthur looked like he very badly wanted to give her a piece of his mind, but that would be considered inappropriate, so instead of shouting at her, he turned his back on her. Merlin and Alina had to do their best not to laugh. Sometimes Arthur behaved so much as a spoiled child that it was too funny to keep quiet.

Merlin noticed that Alina seemed to have calmed down after her little chat with the dragon. He tried to ask her about it, but she told him that she had a lot to think about and that she could not talk about it just now. But whatever had happened, she seemed more certain of herself, happier even. She was humming songs whilst doing her job, none of which Merlin recognized, except the song she had been singing at the Isle of the Blessed, so when he heard that, he joined in. That earned him a surprised smile from Alina and a furious look from Arthur.

'Could you stop singing?' he asked.

'Why would we?' Alina wondered. 'We just happen to be in high spirits, unlike someone I could mention. Well, sir William, I think you are quite ready for your first performance. And I have to go. Uther's going to kill me if I'm late.'

She winked at Merlin and then left the tent to take her place in the stands with Uther and Morgana.

_Watching stupid people trying to poke sticks at each other_, she commented. _Just my idea of having fun_. Sarcasm was too obvious to miss.

_Would it make your day if Arthur fell off his horse?_

_Who knows? But since that is not going to happen anytime soon, I think we're stuck with watching his royal pratness for the next couple of days_. She still used the title Merlin had come up with at some point, but it was no longer sounding annoyed. She used it as if it was some kind of compliment, almost sweet.

_You really like him, don't you?_ Merlin asked.

_I think so_, she admitted hesitantly_. I didn't want to, but it's almost like I have to. Sounds stupid, doesn't it?_

_No, sounds like you're in love. You're no longer worried about messing up the legend, then?_

_Worried, oh yes. I worry a lot, but apparently the damage has already been done. I'll have to deal with the consequences, try to minimalize the damage as much as I could. But the dragon was right about one thing: Arthur is never going to look at Gwen the way he looks to me. He would have done, if I had not existed, but since I do…_ There was a sharp edge to her thoughts. _It seems I have changed the legend by simply existing. Who would have thought?_

'Merlin!' Arthur interrupted their mental conversation. 'Don't just stand there. You're not here to sit and do nothing.'

'Sit and do nothing?' Merlin repeated. 'What's that?'

'Well, don't just stand there and pour me some water.'

There was just no pleasing Arthur when he was like this. Merlin knew the prince well enough to know that there was nothing more to this than nerves. Arthur did not mean half of what he said and therefore Merlin tried to pay as little attention to his remarks as possible. He was convinced Arthur was still one of the best knights to compete, so he did not worry one bit about this tournament, but he knew Arthur did. The realisation that people let him win because of who he was, had hit him hard. The prince was now desperate to prove himself to himself.

All the knights and the substitute knight had now assembled on the field, listening to Uther's speech.

'Knights of the realm!' he spoke in a loud voice. 'Welcome to Camelot.'

It was obvious that sir William was already in trouble. His horse moved restlessly and he was unable to calm it down. The farmer, whose name truly was William, or rather Will, had said that he had ridden a donkey several times, so that he thought he could manage a horse as well. A child could see that he could not manage a horse at all.

'You've trained for this day for many years,' the king went on.

'Well, he hasn't fallen off his horse,' Merlin commented.

Arthur snorted. 'I suppose that's something.'

_Will he be able to keep sitting on that horse long enough?_ Merlin asked Alina.

_No worries on that account_, she assured him. _It will all be fine._

The horse continued to disobey William's orders, but the substitute knight at least succeeded in remaining on its back rather than in the sand. There was one moment after Uther had dismissed the participants that Merlin thought it was all going wrong, because the horse suddenly broke into a gallop and William could do no more than just hold on. Merlin considered using magic to stop the horse, but then the beast skidded to a stop in front of the tent and William got off as soon as he could, more falling than actual dismounting. Fortunately for all of them it looked like he had it all planned out and that he was just making a stunt of dismounting, so that the crowd cheered him instead of laughing at him.

_That was close_, Merlin thought.

_I didn't see that one coming_, Alina confessed. _Luckily it turned out rather good. The crowd likes him already._

William came in and walked over to Arthur. Merlin had not seen the look on the prince's face so solemn in months. The last time he saw that might have been the night they were facing Sigan, when Arthur told him to run and to not be late.

William handed the helmet to Arthur. 'They are ready for you, sire,' he said.

**Arthur**

Arthur took the helmet without a word, looking at a point in the distance without actually seeing it. Finally the time was there when he could really prove himself. _Or discover that I am in fact nothing more than the worst warrior Camelot has ever seen._ Because who said that he was even good at fighting? Everyone had apparently spared him, save for Alina, and she had not had a really hard time beating him.

His mouth was dry and his stomach painful as he mounted the horse, but he knew he wasn't ill. He was only more nervous than he had ever been in his life. He saw his father, looking interestedly at both Arthur and the other knight. On his left hand was Morgana, with an expression similar to Uther's. Arthur was not so sure that he wanted to look at Alina as well. But he could not help himself. He glanced in her direction, only to find her staring back at him, with an encouraging smile on her face and a calm look in her eyes.

Arthur sighed out in relief. He had been a pig back there, but she still supported him. Heavens knew that he did not deserve that, but for some reason she had become a good friend over the last couple of months, swallowing his bad tempers and snaps whenever something did not go the way he wanted it to go, there for him when he needed her. She truly made an effort to befriend him.

He almost missed the sign looking at her. But then he noticed that the servant had released the horse, so he kicked it in its sides and it galloped. The rush and excitement of the match drove away all other thoughts. There was only one thing that mattered now: unhorsing his opponent. The knight was a stranger to him, but Arthur could already see that this was not much of a challenge. Honestly, where had that man learned to hold a lance?

He hit the knight in his chest and the man fell off his horse, while Arthur galloped away victorious. He felt his self-confidence return to him. He could do this. He was born to do this, born to fight. The crowd cheered and waved the flags for him. They did it because of what he had done and not because of who he was. It made him feel like flying. But what really made his day was Alina's happy smile as she watched him.

Victory followed victory that day and each time he shattered another lance on another opponent, he felt stronger, surer of himself and his abilities. He needed to feel this. It proved to him beyond doubt that he was really good at this. It also proved that some of his opponents were even worse than Merlin when it came to jousting, but then, he was used to that by now.

By the end of the day he felt like nothing could go wrong anymore, so he entered his tent in very high spirits, finding himself humming the tune that Merlin and Alina had sung that morning.

He handed the helmet back to William and poured himself some water.

'You must go and acknowledge the crowd,' he told him.

'How do you do that?' the farmer asked in a panicked voice.

'You wave, they cheer,' Arthur explained. 'It's not difficult.'

William practised the waving a few times and then walked out again. When he did the people cheered as loud as they would have done if it really was Arthur that had come out.

This annoyed him a little. 'I do all the work, someone else gets all the praise,' he complained.

'Know the feeling,' Merlin muttered.

That sounded utterly ridiculous. What could Merlin possibly know about this? It was not like he had ever done something great for which someone else got all the credit. Good heavens, Merlin was only a servant. There was no way he could have done something great, ever.

'When I win this tournament, I'll reveal my true identity,' he said. 'Get the credit I deserve.'

'Of course you are,' Merlin said in a voice that suggested he thought that a very bad idea.

'Well, don't just stand there,' Arthur said. 'Help me off with my armour and remember to polish it before tomorrow. The horse needs grooming and don't forget to repair the broken lances.'

That wiped the smile of Merlin's face nicely. Arthur felt almost smug.

* * *

Later that evening, in Gwen's house, he sat himself on the bed he had been given, thinking about the day. Everything had gone better than he could have imagined. He had to admit that after Leon's confession he had almost talked himself into believing that he was the worst knight in the existence of the human race. So maybe the knights let him win occasionally, but Merlin had been right. It did not happen all of the time.

He was disturbed by a gentle knock on the door.

'Come in, Alina!' he called. He would recognize that knock anywhere. She had this special way of doing it.

'How did you know it was me?' she asked.

'By your knock,' he explained.

She raised her eyebrows. 'Wow, I'm impressed. Where's Gwen?'

'Fetching water,' he replied. 'Can you believe that she does not possess a bath tub?'

'Yes,' Alina replied. 'And I think you could have known that as well, because there is no way a tub would fit in this house. It's not even as big as your room, so where on earth would she have to keep one without it getting in the way?'

He was taken aback by her reply, but assumed she was in some way right. 'I… I never thought of that before.'

'That's the point, isn't it?' she said. 'You need to learn to think before you act.'

He eyed her warily. 'Are you going to lecture me again?'

'Nah, I'm not really in the mood today. Besides, I don't want to ruin yours. It's so long since I've seen you smile. You were doing great today.'

There was absolutely no reason why this compliment made him feel like soaring on the highest cloud, absolutely none. She did not even like him, he knew that since he overheard Merlin and her talking in the courtyard. At least, she didn't like him in that way, not like he liked her. This made him feel sad and the smile disappeared from his face.

She noticed, of course she noticed. Was there anything that escaped her notice? He seriously started to doubt that.

'Hey, what's wrong with you?' she asked, sounding worried.

'I'm just tired,' he lied. 'It's been a long day.'

'I'm keeping you up!' she realised. 'I'm so sorry, Arthur. You should have said.'

'It's all right,' he said. 'I'm glad for the company, really. I got this feeling that Gwen doesn't like me, so she avoids my company.'

'You should do something to change that, then,' she suggested. 'Make a gesture. I hate to say, but she seems to think you're an even bigger prat than she already believed, so you should try to make it up to her, make an effort.'

'Why would I do that?' he wondered.

She snorted in irritation. 'Honestly, Arthur, can you hear yourself talking? Do you hear how self-centred you sound, because I certainly do. Gwen has proven herself to be a good friend. She kept watch over you when you were ill, she let you stay in her house, she has been doing chores for you when Merlin was not available… Do I need to continue? She had no need to do all that, but she did it nonetheless. Doing something for her in return is the very least you can do.'

He tried to imitate her way of raising her eyebrows. 'I thought you were saying you weren't in the mood to lecture me?'

She laughed. 'I can't seem to keep myself from doing it. It must be one of my many bad habits.'

'I don't believe it's a bad habit, my lady,' he said seriously. 'You remind me not to think only of myself. I thank you for that.'

She looked surprised. 'Well… ehm… thank you.' Was she blushing? 'But I really should be going. You need to rest. Good night, Arthur.'

Before she could say more, she had gone.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review?**


	25. Chapter 25

**And there's another chapter ready for you to read. Anything more to add? Yes, I'll stop telling you that I don't own Merlin. You all read it so many times that I take it you know that by now. So, on to the chapter. Read and review, please.**

* * *

**Chapter 25**

**Alina**

Alina knew the dragon was right about Arthur and her. If she needed any more proof of that, she only had to pay close attention to the bond she had with Arthur. Every time they met his feelings became a mess of excitement, hopefulness and joy. There were also hints of doubt and even fear, but she could not really make anything of that. To Gwen he was kind and polite, a bit like he was to her, but then without all the rush of emotions. He started to like his host and she started to like him in return, but there were no signs whatsoever that this was more than a friendly relationship, so unlike the relationship the legend would have her believe would be developing at this particular time.

Arthur had been doing great in the tournament. He had placed himself for the finals. There was only one more match to go, so Alina went back to her chambers in high spirits. However, there was something that was worrying her. She knew that the assassin Myror should be in town during the jousting tournament, but up till now, she had not heard as much as a whisper of his presence in Camelot. But then, she had been so caught up in the tournament that she had not exactly been paying attention to anything else. She decided to keep her eyes open at the match tomorrow and to inform Merlin to be on his guard. If the man was here, they would catch him in time, she hoped.

She had dinner in her own room, and had only just finished when Merlin burst into the room, of course without bothering to knock.

'This is becoming something of a habit for you,' she observed.

That remark stopped him. 'What do you mean?'

A teasing smile appeared on her face. 'I'd ask you to knock the next time, but I've got a feeling that you're not going to listen, so…'

'Sorry,' he muttered, before continuing with the more pressing matters. 'There's an assassin in Camelot. He's here to kill Arthur. There was a guard, strangled…'

'Merlin, calm down,' she ordered.

'But he's here to kill Arthur!' Merlin repeated, as if she had not heard him the first time.

'I heard you,' she told him calmly.

'This is part of a big event?'

'Oh yes,' she replied. 'The assassin's name is Myror and he is sent by Odin. What else did the king say?'

'How do you know that the king…?' he started, but then seemed to realise that this was simply part of the knowledge that she had. 'Right, well, the assassin's in town. Sir Leon said that he had been sighted in the lower town and that he had escaped the guards.'

'Holy crap!' she cursed, making Merlin's jaw drop. 'Sorry. Let's get down to Gwen's. Arthur has to be told, before he does something stupid.'

She opened herself up to the connection and found her destiny still at Gwen's.

'Where is he?' Merlin asked.

'With Gwen. Nothing wrong as far as I can judge, but that can easily change when Myror finds him. Let's hope he has no idea where Arthur is hanging out, but I've got my doubts about that, to be quite honest. Let's go.'

Alina grabbed her cloak from a chair and ran with Merlin down to the lower town. There was no one to be seen in the streets.

'Good gracious me,' she muttered. 'There's an assassin loose in town and not one Camelot patrol in sight. No wonder this place is such a mess so often.'

'Is it better in your time?' Merlin wondered.

'Don't get me even started on my own time. A lot of things are wrong there, but then you hear people always complain about the good old times and how everything was better then. I don't know who first said that, but that person should be locked up for lying.'

'So, this time isn't better than yours?' Merlin pressed.

'It's neither better nor worse,' she replied. 'It's different in so many ways. To compare them would be an endless job. Each time has its pros and cons, but where it comes to national security, they both excel in messing it up.'

They had arrived at Gwen's house at this point in the conversation and of course Merlin burst in without knocking again, even though she hissed at him to do so. Apparently it was Merlin's trademark not to knock before entering people's rooms or houses like a whirlwind.

'Arthur, there's an assassin in Camelot!' he blurted out before Gwen or Arthur had even turned their head to look at him. 'He's here to kill you!'

Arthur and Gwen looked at him with horror-struck expressions. Gwen turned rather pale while Arthur reacted the way he always reacted to something he did not expect: his jaw dropped.

Alina closed the door behind her. 'Good evening to you both. Sorry for our interruption of your supper, but, as Merlin told you, we've got some news that cannot wait.'

Merlin and she took turns in explaining what was going on and then Arthur told them what Alina already knew: why Odin had sent Myror for him.

'You better stay here,' Alina said. 'No one knows you are here and it's probably the last place the assassin's going to look.'

Gwen nodded in approval. 'You can stay as long as you need to,' she said quickly.

'I think it's best Merlin went back to the castle, find out what he can,' Alina proposed. 'Arthur will stay here and try to sleep, same goes for Gwen. I'll keep watch, just in case the assassin decides to drop in on us tonight.'

'I can keep watch!' Arthur protested, clearly not enthusiastic about the idea that a woman had to watch out for danger while he slept.

'You need to be well rested for the tournament tomorrow,' she reminded him. 'You're worth nothing out there half asleep. That would give your opponent too much advantage, don't you agree?'

Arthur could not really argue with that, so the plan was accepted and they started to do as proposed. Merlin left, Gwen and Arthur went to bed after locking all the doors. Alina got herself a sword and crossbow from the castle's armoury and then sat herself down on the bench. There was not much to do and she kept herself entertained by reading a book and occasionally checking up on Arthur.

The prince pretended to be asleep, but he was restless. There was worry, nervousness that came very close to fear, grief for the life he had taken. Getting so close to his feelings made it simply unable for her to dislike him. Maybe he did not show his feelings so much to the outside world, but they were obvious to her. It had taught her that there was a good man hiding underneath the Prince Prat mask he so often wore.

Alina walked over to the window, pulling the curtain aside a little and glancing outside. There was no one to be seen there. _Still no patrol to be seen_, she thought to herself. _We're in the middle of an emergency, so where are all the guards? Not that they're so much use when they are around, but still._

'You should try to get some sleep,' a voice behind her said.

'That's because you're not getting any with all this going on?' she retorted without turning.

'You heard me coming,' Arthur concluded.

'Yes.' _Felt you coming, more like_, but she could not tell him that. 'So, if you were trying to sneak up on me, you've failed. You make more noise than an elephant stamping around in the forest.'

'What's up with you and elephants?' he wondered.

'I think I just find them fascinating,' she replied. 'Don't you know that Hannibal used them to attack the forces of Rome?'

Arthur's face went completely blank. 'Sorry?'

'History's not really your strong point, is it?' she smiled. 'Never mind, but that's where my fascination comes from. Having said that, you should try to get some sleep. You still got several hours left till dawn.'

'I don't think I can,' he confessed. 'There's so many things going round in my head.'

'Do you want to talk about it?' she asked cautiously. Some part of her hoped that he would, because it would mean that he liked and trusted her and over the last few days she had come to realise how much she would like that he did. 'You know that helps sometimes, right?'

Arthur nodded and so they sat themselves down and had a real conversation with each other for the first times in their lives. Alina could hardly believe how much at ease she felt talking to him. He didn't seem to have a problem with talking to and with her either. So the sat there and talked the night away. There was no assassin in sight and Gwen's even breathing told them that she slept peacefully all night.

There was an almost magical feel to that night, like it was not completely real, existing outside time. She remembered having moments like that with her friends back home, but none of them felt as special as this one. Something told her that was because she had not belonged there with them, not truly. This time and place, with this person, that was where she was home.

'It feels strange,' she told Arthur when the sun finally started to rise.

'What is?' he asked.

'Being in Camelot gives me the feel of home,' she replied. 'I've never had that before in my life. I've travelled a lot and seen a lot of places. Many of them were beautiful, but none of them made me want to stay and never leave again.'

'Camelot does that to you?'

'Maybe,' she said. 'But I think that's more the people here that make this place a place that I can call home.'

'Which people?' he asked in a soft voice. There was an uncertain feeling radiating from him, like he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

She smiled. 'You, amongst others. But also Merlin, Gaius, Gwen, Morgana, your father. Each of them has shown me kindness when I first came here, each in their own way. When I could not remember a thing, they were there for me.'

'I wasn't,' he disagreed. 'I was unkind, rude even. How come you started to like me after all that?'

'I don't know,' she replied. 'Not exactly. It just happened. At first, I completely agreed with Merlin about you being an insensitive prat, but then I got to know you better and I discovered that was not all there was to you. So, quite against my will, actually, I started to like you. I'm sorry I can't explain it better.' She thought for a moment. 'And how about you? Why did you start to like me? I mean, I yelled at you probably more times than I care to remember and then I publicly humiliated you by beating you in a duel. You must have greatly disliked me, and that's probably an understatement.'

Arthur stared at his shoes, apparently unable to answer the question.

'Arthur?' she pressed.

'I don't know,' he replied.

**Arthur**

'You two have been up all night?' Gwen asked.

'Pretty much, yes,' Alina replied.

Arthur just sat and didn't say anything. He was still too ashamed to join the conversation at breakfast. Alina had not made a point of it, but it bothered him that he could not tell why he liked her. To him it was obvious that he did, he had only difficulty explaining why. He just did. It just was stupid that he could not tell her when she asked about it.

'I have to go and collect our dear sir William,' Gwen said, standing up. 'Good luck, sire.' She curtsied and was gone.

Alina was standing as well. 'We had better go, too,' she said. 'We don't want to be late for your big day, now, would we?'

She collected his stuff, which was scattered around the little house. Arthur ate the last of his bread while watching her. Perhaps, he pondered, he liked her so much because she was always there for him when he needed her. She might reprimand him from time to time, but when it came to it, she was at his side. How many others would do what she did? How many would insult a dangerous beast to distract its attention from him? How many would take on three tall, heavily armed bandits to protect him? How many would stay with him in a life-threatening situation with statues and fireballs attacking him, even after he had ordered them away? Merlin would, probably. They seemed to share a great deal of characteristics.

'I'm getting slightly nervous now,' she said. 'You've stared at me for ten full minutes now. Something wrong with my clothes or hair?'

He smiled at her. 'No. Why would there be?'

She shrugged. 'I could not possibly come up with any other reasonable explanation why you would keep watching me like that. Come on, we ought to be going.'

He got up, picking up the cloak from the bed and putting it on.

'Hmm,' Alina said. 'There's missing something.'

'What is?'

'Isn't it custom for a knight to go to the finals wearing a lady's favour?' she asked innocently.

His heart skipped a beat. Was she saying what he thought she was saying? 'That would require the knight in question to actually have a lady,' he said.

She cocked her head, smiling. 'That shouldn't be a problem, then.' She sought in her pockets and came to him with a deep blue ribbon in her hand.

He recognized the cloth immediately. This was from the dress she had worn when they had been fighting Sigan and his pets. He knew she had a few ribbons like that, because she thought the fabric was too beautiful to be destroyed entirely. She had loved the dress and now she gave a little bit of that to him.

'It even matches your armour,' she smiled as she tied it round his right arm. She held him at arm's length. 'Now you're officially perfect.'

He did not know why he did it. Or rather, he knew why, he just didn't know why he did it at that moment. They were in a hurry. They would have to run to the tournament already, but he forgot that. He leaned to her and kissed her before either of them realised what happened. It was a slow, tender, beautiful kiss and Arthur was sure he would remember it for the rest of his days, until his dying breath.

When they finally let go of each other he studied her face, cheeks flushed, eyes wide, lips curled in a small smile, wonder and surprise written all over her. He did not think he had seen her look so stunning before.

They could neither of them speak, not so soon after that kiss. All they could do was look into each other's eyes, forgetting all the rest, treasuring the moment. He still had his hands on her waist, hers were resting on his shoulders. He could almost feel the warmth of them through his clothes and chainmail.

The moment was shattered by Merlin, who burst into the room without bothering to knock (would he ever learn?). It took him not two seconds to figure out what was going on here. Arthur looked daggers at him. That look would make the bravest knight's knees tremble in fear, but Merlin only smiled widely, almost appearing more happy for them than they were for themselves.

'I hate to break up this beautiful moment,' he said, no hint of this regret in his voice. 'But you're running a little late.'

'I know, _Mer_lin,' Arthur growled.

Alina laid her hand on his arm, which had a very calming effect. 'We're coming, Merlin,' she said in a calm voice. 'You're right. We are late, but I'm afraid I am in part to blame for the delay.' She took Arthur's hand. 'Come on, you've got a tournament to win.'

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	26. Chapter 26

**And here's the next chapter. Enjoy! Please review.**

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**Chapter 26**

**Merlin**

Alina had disappeared to take her place in the stands as soon as they reached the tournament grounds. She was already late, which was likely not to please the king, who was very punctual. Alina usually was as well, but not today. Merlin had caught her and Arthur in a kind of embrace, both of them looking almost guilty when he had burst in.

_So, what exactly happened before I came in?_ Merlin asked her as he helped Arthur into his armour.

_We…ehm… had a moment_, she replied, her mental tone coloured with embarrassment.

_You kissed?_

_That's another way of saying it_, she admitted.

_So, you're accepting destiny?_ he asked hopefully.

_I hope I don't need to spell it out for you?_ Alina asked. Merlin could hear the mental sigh of annoyance, but there was happiness underneath that, a sense of completeness.

_I'm happy for you, truly, I am._

_I know_, she thought at him. _Does it sound stupid that I am almost literally freaking out with excitement and joy?_

_Try not to bounce off your chair_, he advised dryly. _Uther might think you've gone mad._

She chuckled. _Oh, so that's why he keeps glancing in my direction?_

They both laughed.

Arthur shot him a very worried glance. 'What's wrong with you, Merlin?'

'Nothing, sire,' he replied, trying to get back to normal and failing.

'Then stop behaving like an idiot and pass me my helmet,' the prince snapped.

Arthur was slightly embarrassed by getting caught at a private moment by his servant, Merlin thought. That was what made him so edgy. That and the nerves that preceded every match.

Merlin himself felt… relieved. There really was no other way to describe his feelings. It had become clear to him very soon that Alina was vital to destiny and her attempts to fight it had been worrying him more than he had shown even to her. But there was no way that legend was going to be thwarted now. Alina and Arthur were officially a couple and there wasn't really anything that could stop destiny from going the way it was supposed to.

Merlin was in high spirits when Arthur mounted his horse and despite his attempts to hide it, Arthur must be too. He wore Alina's token on his right arm, which made a lot of girls look rather sad. They had all quite taken to sir William in the last couple of days. The fact that he had a lady was not a surprise, but a disappointment nonetheless.

Arthur seemed to be completely in control when he galloped along the field, lance held out just exactly right. His opponent was good, but Merlin had seen enough jousting in the last few months to know that Arthur was definitely better than sir Alynor.

He could not understand what happened when Arthur and not sir Alynor was hurt when the lances shattered. Arthur had hit the other man, Merlin could have sworn to that, but the knight appeared to be unharmed. The prince's condition was another matter entirely. His posture was cramped and he had a hand against his chest. Something was wrong…

_He's hurt!_ Alina's panicked voice penetrated his thoughts. _Merlin, he's hurt. Oh heavens, I should have known, I should…._

_Calm down_, he ordered. _And come here. You might be able to do something for him_.

She took a few deep breaths. _Of course._

Merlin saw her leave the stands, but was then distracted by sir Alynor, who rode past him. He caught sight of the lance. The point of the lance was in the likeness of a fist. This was strange, though not forbidden. The spike coming out of the fist, however, was. As the knight rode on the spike was drawn back into the fist and no one was the wiser, except for Merlin.

_Sir Alynor is cheating_, he told Alina.

_That is not sir Alynor_, she groaned, sounding very angry with herself. _That's the assassin! I knew, but I completely forgot! I didn't even think of it until I saw that Arthur got hurt. I am so, so sorry, Merlin._ Panic crept back into her mental voice.

_Stop it_, he ordered. _I'm going to check on our so-called sir Alynor, while you go and make sure Arthur's all right. Right?_

She gave a mental nod and Merlin felt she started to run, but then he broke off the connection and went investigating.

The tournament grounds were full of people. Merlin could hardly understand how no one could have noticed that it was not sir Alynor that was competing in the jousting. He hoped that Alina had in some way been wrong about this. It wouldn't be the first time that legend in real life went a little different from how it was told in her time. Besides, how could Myror have found out where Arthur was hiding? They had kept it a secret. No one but Alina, Gwen, Merlin and sir William had known where the prince was. All of them would rather die than give such important information to an assassin. By the time he was halfway to sir Alynor's tent, he had almost talked himself into believing Alina was wrong on this one.

Almost, because there was no good reason why a normal knight would use a forbidden weapon to win the tournament. Right, Valiant had tried once, with his shield of snakes, but Valiant had been creepy from the start and nothing had implied that Alynor was made of the same stuff. Merlin had believed him to be a nice, chivalrous kind of man. So why would such a man cheat? The answer was that he wouldn't, which supported Alina's theory that Arthur jousted against the assassin.

The area around Alynor's tent was rather empty. There were no guards, no servants. That was strange. There were always plenty of servants around, if only one to help the knight with his armour, which was very difficult to put on alone.

He peeked through a hole in the cloth. There was a strange man in the tent, clad in sir Alynor's armour. Oh dear, Alina had been right. He should have known better than to doubt her by now, but no, he had thought to know better. Was he ever going to learn to just take her word when she said something was the way it was?

The man in the tent adjusted something about his breastplate, which gave Merlin a chance of studying him closer. Myror was bald, with a beard and Merlin suddenly recognized him as the stranger who had spoken to him yesterday after the tournament, when he was watering the horse.

* * *

_The stranger walked over to him and patted the horse admiringly. 'He's a fine horse,' he remarked. 'I see your master has advanced to the final. He's extremely skilled with a lance.'_

'_He's doing well,' Merlin had replied with a smile. If only the stranger knew who his master was… 'Just one more match to go.' _And then everything can go back to normal. I can't wait.

_The stranger leaned a little closer. 'Tell me, what is he like to work for?' He was just one of those people who liked to gossip about nobles, so Merlin had only been too happy to oblige, especially after that tongue-lashing he got from Arthur not five minutes ago._

'_Between you and me? He can be a bit of a prat.' They had both laughed at that._

'_So you are no longer working for prince Arthur?' the man asked and Merlin had still suspected nothing. It was only a natural question to ask, since Merlin was always anywhere near Arthur. The fact that he was not so now raised questions._

'_No,' he said, before realising that was not true and so he added: 'Yes, yes, not right now. Arthur's away. I'm just helping out. There are so many things to do. It would not be fair for me to sit down and do nothing.' It would be more than fair, but no need to tell this stranger that._

_He had made a slight, polite bow. 'Well, I wish your master luck in the final,' he said and after a last pat on the horse's neck, he walked away._

* * *

Merlin wanted to bang his head against the wall for being so stupid. How much had the assassin learned from his little chat with Merlin? Had he followed him in the hopes that Merlin would lead him straight to Arthur? In that case he had been the one giving the secret away, even though it was unknowingly.

The assassin put his helmet back on. In all that armour no one could see that he was not sir Alynor. They had the same posture and same height, so that would not give him away either.

But was sir Alynor in on this whole plot to kill Arthur? Merlin had been through enough to automatically expect the worst, but this was beyond ridiculous. So he looked inside the tent one more time, only to see the motionless body of the knight lying on the ground. Merlin had seen enough dead bodies to recognize one when he came across it. Sir Alynor was no more.

He had seen enough. He turned and ran.

**Alina**

Arthur had difficulty walking on his own. He stumbled into his tent and Alina could see the blood coming through the torn chainmail and shirt underneath it.

'Sit down, I'll get you something to stop the bleeding,' she said.

He obeyed. 'I only have five minutes or I forfeit the match,' he panted.

'I'd say that is exactly what you should be doing,' she muttered. 'But I got a feeling that you won't listen to me. Hold still. I'll see what I can do.'

'I'm not going to quit,' he groaned as she tried to remove the blood.

All the clothing prevented her from looking at the wound, but the amount of blood was enough to convince her that it was every bit as bad as she thought it was. He was in no condition to joust right now. It even appeared to be worse than it had been in the show. Well, she had already decided to change legend, she might as well do it thoroughly.

'Your pride is going to get you killed one day,' she predicted.

He grabbed her hand, forcing her to look at him. 'This is not pride. I _have_ to prove myself.'

'To whom?' she wondered. 'Surely not to me?'

'To myself,' he replied. His eyes begged her to understand.

She smiled a sad smile. 'I know. Just… be careful.' _I couldn't bear to lose you, not now, not after what happened between us_. She did not speak those words, not with sir William watching. 'I'll look at the wound. I'll be quick about it.'

She held the cloth as far away from his skin as possible and then cast the spell with her mind as she had done before. It worked, she knew it did, because as soon as the spell began to heal the wound, she became more aware of the bond with Arthur, intensifying with every moment she kept the magic flowing towards him. She wondered if this process would strengthen itself every time she healed him, tying her closer to him. Once she might have shivered at the thought of such a close bond with Camelot's prince, but those days were behind her now. This was the man she loved, she might as well confess it after the kiss. There was no more denying her feelings, no more hiding behind the excuse of not wanting to change legend.

'That's better,' Arthur said, a smile forming on his face. 'What did you do?'

'I cleaned away most of the blood with a cloth that I drenched in herbs,' she explained. 'They help with the pain. You'll have to be careful, though. As far as I can see the wound is not such a big deal, but you have lost a lot of blood. You may experience some dizziness, so take it slowly.'

'And how am I supposed to do that?'

She bit her lip. 'Just be careful,' she repeated, knowing she could not possibly tell him it was the assassin he was jousting against, because she was not supposed to know. She grinded her teeth in frustration.

Arthur looked around him for the first time. 'Where's Merlin?'

It was very tempting to bring the joke of Merlin being in the tavern somewhat forward, but she restrained herself. Merlin would not thank her for that and he was her friend after all. That did not change one bit now that Arthur and she had become a couple.

'I think he said that he was going to fetch a few lances,' she replied. 'He should be back any minute now.'

'I can't wait for that,' Arthur said. 'I'll have to go back now. You'll have to help me.'

She nodded. 'You know I would, don't you?'

He was able to get on the horse without help, so she suspected that she had done a good job. But she could not heal all, not without arousing suspicion, so he still had difficulty moving his right arm.

'You'll have to pass me my lance,' he said.

She did as he asked, looking right into his eyes. 'Be safe,' she whispered to him. What if legend decided to play a trick on her again? What if she would lose him, unable to do something? What if Merlin could not get in the right position to distract Myror? What if, what if…?

_Get a grip!_ she told herself. _Everything is going to be just fine_.

Merlin came sprinting around the corner just when Arthur left. 'Where's Arthur?' he panted.

'He's gone back to joust.' Of course.

'He's jousting against the assassin!'

'I know.' She explained quickly what needed to be done.

Merlin nodded and ran away, while she returned to her place beside the king. She was still in time. The match had not yet begun, which seemed to have something to do with "sir Alynor" being incapable of calming his horse. The beast reared up, making a lot of noise and scaring away a lot of the serving boys.

_Your doing?_ Alina asked Merlin.

_Doesn't seem to work as much as I wanted,_ the young warlock replied. _I did that after I saw Myror in the tent. I put a thorn underneath the saddle, hoping it would buy us some time._

_It did._

Myror was a skilful rider, so he regained the control over the horse. The jousting could begin any moment now and Alina found herself too nervous to sit down. She stood as close to the jousting field as she possibly could, watching the two men, one a prince in disguise, the other an assassin in disguise.

Arthur was still not recovered from the blow. She saw him fighting to keep his balance, trying to shake the drowsiness off that the blood loss caused. _Please Arthur, fight it!_

The signal was given and the riders spurred their horses into a gallop. She sought Merlin amongst all the people and found him way too far off to be of any use. Oh yes, legend did decide to play tricks with them. There was no one to make sure that Arthur would make it out alive. No one but her.

This realisation hit her with the force of a bomb explosion. She had to use magic in front of all of Camelot watching? What was this madness? Was legend trying to get her killed, now that the other Alina had not been able to do the job properly? Sometimes it felt like everything was conspiring to kill her.

But, what then? Was she supposed to leave Arthur at the mercy of a ruthless killer? And once again she found that she could not abandon him. No matter what the consequences would be for her, she would have to think of him first. That was her destiny, but even if it hadn't been her destiny, she still would have wanted to save him. Because she loved him. She loved him with all her heart and she could not let anything happen to him. Saving Arthur had become an instinct for her, just as it had to Merlin.

'Stupid destiny, stupid connection,' she muttered under her breath. The general noise drowned out her annoyed complaint.

Alina focused hard on the saddle of Myror's horse, waiting as long as she dared. Then, when he was almost in front of her, she closed her eyes as far as she could without closing them entirely, thus minimalizing the chances of getting caught, and whispered the spell.

It hit, as she knew it would. Myror's saddle got loose, nearly causing him to fall off his horse. He barely kept his balance, but the effect was as she had hoped. He was too distracted to point his lance at Arthur.

Arthur, however, jumped at the chance. His lance hit Myror in the chest. The defenceless assassin, who had trouble maintaining his balance as it was, had no possibility of taking that blow. And so he fell, almost graciously, off the back of his horse. He hit the ground with his head first and in the shocked silence of the moment everyone heard his neck break as he collided with the ground. He did not move again and Arthur rode victorious to the other end of the field, still hurt, but also still very much alive.

In the general chaos of shock and cheering, no one seemed to have noticed that Myror's accident was no mere coincidence. No one looked at the royal party. All eyes were turned towards the jousting field.

Alina looked at Merlin, who smiled widely at her.

_You did it_, his proud voice spoke inside her head.

_I did it_, she confirmed. She somehow doubted ever feeling so happy in her entire life.

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**And that's it for today. Please review, make my day!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Hey guys, there's the 27****th**** chapter! Enjoy reading it. Please review?**

**Chapter 27**

**Alina**

Alina was very tired. It had been the strangest of days, she pondered as she finally laid down. But even though she felt exhausted, the natural result of having skipped a night of sleep and then having a very emotional day, the sleep refused to come. There were too many thoughts going around in her head.

Her day had started with talking to Arthur in Gwen's house, which had somehow resulted in Arthur kissing her. Her emotions had been messed up and were not yet quite fixed into place. Then she had been through that emotional roller coaster of Arthur jousting against the assassin, healing him and in the end helping him to defeat his attacker, of which he was of course completely oblivious, as it should be.

After the tournament suddenly prince Arthur had shown up, with a report of having slain the imaginary bear-faced beast. Alina was still proud of him for that. He had chosen not to claim the glory for once. She had no idea why he would have done that. Right, she might have mentioned that it would not be completely fair to William. She had urged him to let the man have one moment, because it would probably be the only one he was ever going to get and Arthur was bound to have a whole bunch of such moments.

So it had been sir William who had accompanied her to the feast to celebrate his victory, as was his right as champion. And even though she was very tired by then, she could not deny the farmer this one evening, so she had stayed until Uther had called an end to it. Having said that, she was extremely glad she could get to bed. It had been a very long day.

And now she was in her own room, restlessly. Deciding that the sleep would not come, she got up and poured herself some water. She walked over to the window, looking out over the now silent courtyard. The weather had changed in only a few hours' time. The day had been sunny, but the night was rainy. The thunder was moving closer. All sensible people had retreated into their houses.

From where she stood she could see the window of Arthur's chamber. All was dark there. She imagined him asleep in his big bed and a slight smile formed on her face. Who would have believed that she, once known as Lynn from the twenty-first century, would fall in love with the Once and Future King of Albion? She certainly would not have come up with such a ridiculous idea. Had someone told her this a year ago, she would have told them they had way too much to drink.

With a little melancholy she thought of her own time. She wondered how everyone was. Had they even realised she was not with them anymore? Would they even miss her, the way she missed them? A tear escaped. Her body ached to hold them in her arms again, to tell them that she loved and missed them, but that she was okay. These feelings were so contradictory. She knew that this was the place that would be her home for the rest of her life, but she still wanted to see her loved ones again, if only one last time, to say her goodbyes.

This was a night for tears, she pondered as more started to escape her. The skies cried with her. _Oh dear, you've had a little too much wine tonight_, she told herself. _You apparently can't take it._

Lightning clearly illuminated the empty courtyard, thunder following soon after. The weather was now turning seriously bad. As she considered stepping back, away from the window, her attention was drawn to the window on the other side of the square, where there was still light burning. Morgana was still up? She could have sworn that her room had been dark only moments ago.

For a moment she did not understand what it meant, but then she remembered that Morgana's magic first showed with the lighting of a candle, said candle causing the curtains to catch fire, sparking a chain reaction of fear and hatred. Oh, dear, was this going to happen so soon following the last events? Was there never going to be a moment's peace?

But then, she was already in the process of changing legend. These things did not have to come to pass. She could prevent them, if she acted quickly.

She took a deep breath and concentrated. She had controlled candles with her mind before, but never over such a distance. But she had always been a quick learner. She was not as powerful as Merlin, but what she lacked in talent, she made up in learning, always trying to get more control over her powers.

So she locked her gaze on where she knew the candle was and spoke the spell out loud. In the safety of her own room she could do that. She found that her spells were more powerful if she spoke the words clearly.

For a moment she seemed to succeed. The light lessened, but the fire fed on Morgana's fear, burning high. Without seeing exactly what happened, she still knew what was going on in that room.

She did not hesitate for a moment, but turned away from the window and broke into a run, not caring that she was in her night's clothing and barefooted. Some of the guards she passed, shot her shocked looks, as if they were unable to believe their eyes. Alina did not pay it any mind. She had more important things on her mind: preventing an absolute disaster for starters.

She could hear Morgana scream from the beginning of the corridor. _And of course not one guard within earshot!_ Alina thought furiously. _Why are those guys never around when you actually need them? This is getting beyond ridiculous!_

She burst into Morgana's room. The king's ward sat up in her bed, looking positively frightened. Her curtains were on fire, her window had shattered into a thousand pieces. The curtains threatened to light other objects in the room, so Alina did not hesitate one second. She looked for water and found it in the vase on the table. Without further ado, she roughly removed the flowers in it, and threw the water at the curtains. A loud hissing noise was the result of her efforts. She looked around her, searching for more water. She ran over to Morgana's bedside, grabbing the goblet and the jar next to it, throwing that at the fire as well.

That mostly did the trick. The fire unwillingly retreated, incapable of feeding on something that was so wet. Alina used her magic to smother the last remains and then turned to Morgana, who had gone into hysterics.

Alina grabbed her hands. 'Morgana, calm down!' she ordered. 'It's all right. You're safe now.'

It did not seem to have much effect. Morgana was so scared now that she was beyond reason. She screamed, struggling viciously to break free from Alina's hold on her hands. Her eyes flashed gold and the jar behind the princess exploded into shards.

Alina found herself now forced to hit her friend thrice. This seemed to work. Morgana stopped her screaming and stared at her, speechless.

'Stop it, Morgana!' she commanded. 'Calm down. No one is hurt. Everything is going to be fine. Do you hear me? It's over now. You're safe.'

For a moment Morgana only looked at her, not yet understanding that this ordeal was truly over and then she collapsed into sobbing. Alina pulled her into a hug, comforting her as best she could.

'Hush now, Morgana,' she spoke in a soft voice. 'It's going to be all right. You are safe.'

'Am I?' She had Morgana never heard so vulnerable before.

How could this frightened young woman ever change into the evil witch that she knew she would become? It seemed to be impossible. And maybe that was what it was. Alina would do anything to keep Morgana on the side of good, she knew that. She could not lose her friend. She had lost enough of those already when she was brought here. She would not lose another.

'You are,' she said decisively. 'I am not going to let anything bad happen to you, Morgana.'

'Why would you do that?' the king's ward asked in a sad voice.

She let go of Morgana, so that she could look into her eyes. 'Because I owe you, remember?'

Morgana's face showed the hint of a smile. It wasn't much, but it was something, which reassured Alina a little. 'I remember.'

'Then you trust me when I say that everything is going to be okay?'

Morgana hesitated a moment, but then nodded.

Alina smiled at her. 'Tell me, Morgana, what happened?'

'I don't know,' she whispered. 'One moment the candle suddenly burned and then the flame started to grow and the curtains were on fire and the window broke when the lightning struck and…'

Alina, feeling that Morgana could slip back into hysterics any moment now, cut her off. 'Slow down, Morgana. Take a deep breath.'

Morgana obeyed.

'Right, that's better. Now, how did this happen?'

Morgana glanced nervously at the broken window. 'I don't know,' she replied in a soft voice. Alina could tell that she was almost scared out of her wits. 'It… it was almost like…' The last word was no more than a whisper. 'Magic.'

In the past she had thought that the title of the episode that covered these events had been a little bit exaggerated. Alina did not doubt the truth of this episode's title anymore now that she found herself in the middle of it. The nightmare had truly begun.

**Merlin**

'I came back in with some extra blankets,' Gwen explained to the king. 'There was a candle, but I put it out.'

The king eyed her suspiciously, obviously thinking Gwen was trying to talk herself out of this, which Merlin did not believe. Gwen was the most truthful person around.

The situation was strange, though. A candle that burned on his own account, windows bursting into shards. Something was not right about that and Merlin thought he knew exactly what that was.

_It was magic, wasn't it?_ he thought at Alina, who stood next to Arthur on the other side of the room.

She gave him a hardly visible nod.

_But how then?_ he pressed. _Who would have done such a thing? To Morgana, of all people!_

_It was Morgana that did it, though she did so unknowingly_, she told him. _So I really need you to keep quiet. If Uther discoveres that she has magic and that it is developing…_ She did not finish that sentence, but she didn't need to. Merlin could imagine the king's reaction to such an announcement all too well.

But none of this made sense. Morgana had magic? Merlin knew that she was a Seer, but had assumed that she did not have any extra powers on top of that ability. Gaius had told him that a lot of Seers only had that one talent and nothing more. Morgana would be one of the few exceptions to that rule. That was, if this was true. He found it very hard to believe.

_How can you be so certain of this, Alina? Morgana is a good girl!_

_As opposed to me, who is not a good girl?_ Alina raised her eyebrows. _You don't always choose magic, remember?_

_But still, Morgana?_

_Will you believe me if I tell that this is the start of another big event?_

_Another? So soon?_ This distracted him.

_Hey, I didn't choose it!_ Alina defended herself. _These things do as they please._

This entire conversation took hardly any time at all. Speaking with one's thoughts was so much quicker than speaking with one's mouth. Merlin would do it all the time if he could.

'Are you sure?' the king asked Gwen.

'I blew it out, I swear!' Gwen insisted.

'Gwen's been Morgana's servant for years,' Arthur spoke up. His stay at Gwen's house had made him rather sympathetic to Morgana's maid, even though they had not become the couple Alina had believed they would become. 'If she says she blew it out, I believe her.'

Uther walked over to the window, studying it closely. 'She could have been burned alive if it weren't for Alina,' he said.

Alina rolled her eyes. Merlin knew how she hated it to be in the middle of all the attention… again. But then, she attracted it. Saving Arthur's life at several occasions and now Morgana's had earned her Uther's undying gratitude.

_So pleased indeed_, she commented sarcastically. _It should be you who gets the credit. After all, without you there would still be some questing beast, Nimueh and Cornelius Sigan wandering around. I don't deserve any of his praise._

_So that's what's bothering you so much about his admiration?_

_Isn't that enough?_

'The lightning struck the castle roof last night,' Arthur said. 'That could have started the fire.'

'Perhaps,' Uther said, not sounding convinced.

Arthur shrugged. 'What other explanation is there?'

'Someone started the fire deliberately.'

'Sire, that is impossible,' Alina protested. 'There was no one here.'

'How can you be so sure?' Uther snapped.

Any other person would have shut up if the king looked and talked to them like that, but not Alina. She looked him straight in the eyes, no sign of fear and nerves. 'Because Morgana said there was no one in her room and because I had been watching the square for the quarter of an hour before the fire broke out. There was no one there. If there was, I would have seen them.'

Uther had a determined look on his face. 'Some people can avoid being seen if they wish.'

Merlin felt a shiver went down his spine. This conversation was heading down a very dangerous road.

'I second Arthur's opinion on this one,' Alina insisted. 'This a very shocking accident, but an accident nonetheless. I know what you are suggesting, but I don't believe that magic is responsible for this. There was no one out there in the last fifteen minutes before the accident happened. I am absolutely certain about that.' _Do I need to bash it into his thick head or will he do the wisest thing to do and just take my word for it?_ she added in her mind.

_Try the bashing_, Merlin suggested. _Might do him a lot of good_. He sent the mental picture of Alina banging the king's head against the wall with his thoughts.

Across the room Alina had a lot of trouble keeping herself from laughing. _Stop it!_ she ordered. _I need to stay on top of this and you're jeopardizing that._

Uther's face hardened. 'Some people don't need to be physically present to wreak havoc on Camelot,' he snapped. 'And I'll do everything in my power to stop them.'

Without waiting for an answer, he walked past them, out of the room.

_Oh dear_, Alina thought at him. _This is not going to be good._

Merlin had doubted her in the past, but he did not do so now. Alina had more knowledge of the events that still had to happen than he could possibly comprehend and now that she had this solemn look on her face, Merlin could not help but believe that the worst was now going to happen.

**That's it for today. The next chapter should be up tomorrow.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Hello everyone. Today's chapter has turned out to be rather huge. So, enjoy and please tell me what you think.**

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**Chapter 28**

**Merlin**

Merlin and Alina walked back to Gaius' chambers together to tell Morgana that her room was all checked and safe.

_What do we do?_ Merlin asked.

He got a lot of confused feelings from her, but no straight answer.

'Alina?' he asked out loud.

_The point is, Merlin, that I do not really know what to do anymore. We're at a crossroads here and I honestly do not know which path to choose. Or rather, I think I do know, but I'm not sure that I have the strength to do it. If I do, all of legend may change._

_But that is what you are here for_, Merlin pointed out.

_I know, I know. But I thought that I would be able to change only minor details, not something that is so huge as this._

_Morgana's magic is such a big issue to legend?_ He found he had a little difficulty believing that.

_You have no idea_, she muttered.

They arrived at Gaius' chambers, but were stopped from entering when they heard talking. Alina laid a finger against her lips, signalling him to remain silent.

'What I don't understand, Morgana, is how the fire started in the first place?' he could hear Gaius say.

'It all happened so quickly.' Morgana still sounded a bit shaken. 'It was terrifying!'

'It's all right,' Gaius said. 'You're safe now.'

Merlin peeked around the corner to see Morgana sit at his chair at the table, Gaius hovering over her like a worried mother trying to calm down her child after it had a nightmare. Morgana's shoulders were hunched. She looked like she wanted to close herself off from the world, lock herself away in a safe place, where nothing like this would ever happen to her again.

'You're the only person I've ever told about my dreams,' Morgana said in a soft voice. 'I know I can trust you, Gaius.'

'Yes, of course you can,' Gaius agreed.

'It was me,' the king's ward confessed. '_I_ set the room alight. _I_ started the fire!' She sounded terrified. So scared, so vulnerable. Merlin wanted to run in and hold her, comfort her. Only Alina's hold on his arm prevented him from doing something rash.

_What do you think you're _doing_?_ she mentally shouted at him.

_I… I don't know._

She growled. _Guess there was some truth in all that Mergana pairing_, she muttered.

_In what?_

She coloured bright red. _Ignore that_, she ordered. Spending time with Arthur surely did not rub off well on her manners. _You weren't supposed to hear._

'I don't understand,' Gaius said, but he sounded like he did understand. 'Did you knock a candle over?' Merlin suspected that his father figure had a fairly good idea of what had really happened, but for some reason he still wanted to keep it from Morgana. As if there was something he could keep from her. By the looks of it, she already knew what was going on.

Morgana shook her head fiercely. 'No, that's not what happened. I did it… just by looking at it and the flames suddenly leapt higher.'

'It could have been a gust of wind,' Gaius insisted.

Morgana was not going to let go of her theory, however. 'It wasn't. It was me. It was magic!'

Some part of Merlin could not help but rejoice at this. Without his permission a wide grin crept onto his face.

_What are you doing?_ Alina asked suspiciously.

_She's like us!_ he almost cried out loud. _Don't you think that's a good thing?_ He had trouble understanding why Alina was not just as enthusiastic as he was.

_Ask me again when all this is over and hopefully I'll be able to answer your question_, she thought back at him. There was a nervous, scared edge to her voice.

Merlin could tell that she was keeping something from him. _You can tell me, you know._

_In this case, I am not sure I can._

'My child…,' Gaius started.

'I am not a child!' Morgana cut him off, angry.

'Last night was an accident. It had nothing to do with you. How could it have? You must trust me,' the old physician spoke sternly, cutting off any further protests from his favourite patient.

Alina chose that moment to knock on the door, a little harder than would have been necessary, to give them a fair warning, and then walked in.

'Morning, Gaius, Morgana,' she greeted. 'Gaius, Merlin said I could have breakfast with you?'

'Of course, Alina,' he replied. 'Come in.'

Merlin and Alina got themselves a chair.

'Are you okay, Morgana?' Alina asked friendly. 'You had quite the shock last night.'

Morgana nodded, still trembling a little. 'I'm fine.'

Alina smiled back at her. 'So glad to hear that. Your room is all cleaned up, checked and found safe. Someone will come tomorrow to repair the window.'

The king's ward stood up. 'I should be going back to dress.'

'Of course,' Alina replied. 'I'll see you later. I promised you to train with you, remember?'

Merlin could see that this was exactly the right way to help Morgana get over this. Most of the sadness left her eyes and this time she really smiled. 'I'd like that. In an hour?'

'That's fine. I'll come for you.'

'Thank you, Alina.'

Merlin gave his friend a slice of bread before addressing Gaius. 'I was helping clean up Morgana's chambers earlier,' he said, studying Gaius' face closely.

If he had hoped for a sign of that meaning something, he was disappointed. 'Hmm?'

'The window was blown out in the courtyard below,' he went on.

Still no more than a 'hmm.'

'That's odd, isn't it?' he pressed. He did not want to tell his mentor that Alina and he had overheard him talking to Morgana. It would be better if Gaius himself told them what he believed. 'If lightning had struck, like Arthur said, you would say that the glass would have fallen inside the window.'

Alina had this amused little smile on her face. _This is not going to work_, she told him, chewing a mouthful of bread. _You'll have to go for the more direct approach_.

'It was magic,' Merlin said when Gaius again did not reply. He pretended to stare very hard at the potion he was preparing. 'You know it was.'

_That's a very direct approach_, Alina commented.

_You told me to…_

'More importantly, so does she,' Merlin said to Gaius.

Finally some reaction. 'Morgana knows nothing for certain.'

'You're wrong, Gaius,' Alina spoke up. Merlin was extremely glad to have someone backing him up. 'She does know. This is another big event in the time where I come from. Ignoring this is _not_ a good idea, believe me.'

'You should talk to her,' Merlin said. 'Tell her that her powers are not something to be afraid of.'

'I can't,' Gaius said, turning away.

Merlin felt very frustrated. 'Maybe I can talk to her,' Merlin suggested.

'No!' Gaius and Alina said in the same decisive voice at exactly the same time.

'Why not?' Merlin demanded. 'I understand what she is going through!'

'You can't reveal your secret, to anyone!' Gaius told him.

He knew that, but certainly it would not be necessary to keep his secret from someone who was like him? He hadn't kept it from Alina. Well, not that there was much secret to keep, since she already knew it before he even got the chance to tell her, but still… And Morgana did not deserve to go through this alone, with no one to talk to, no one to believe her. He so badly wanted to tell her that she was not alone, that she was special and that he would be overjoyed to have her join him and Alina. The three of them, helping each other and Arthur, like some kind of brotherhood, although two of the three members were actually women.

'I agree with Gaius on this one,' Alina spoke up. 'You can't tell Morgana.'

'You can't leave Morgana to face this on her own!' Merlin burst out. He could not believe how his friend could do that to anyone, let alone someone she considered a close friend.

He had a whole lot more to say to her, but she raised her hand. He fell silent. 'I wasn't saying that,' she replied calmly. 'Just because you can't tell her, doesn't mean that I can't.'

It took both Gaius and him a few seconds to process what she had said and then he started to smile widely at her. He should have known she would never have let her friends down. 'You would do that?'

She nodded. 'Of course I would.'

'Do you have a death wish, Alina?' Gaius burst out.

'I have not.'

'You can't do this!' his mentor protested. 'If Uther found out…'

'He hasn't found out till now,' she pointed out. 'It's unlikely he will ever see the truth. Besides, what would you have me do?'

'Leave this to me,' Gaius replied immediately.

She frowned. 'That's the worst idea I've heard in ages. Remember that I know about a lot of things that are about to happen. Ignoring her powers is no longer an option. In the legend Merlin decided to send her to the druids, which is the second worst idea I could possibly imagine.'

'Why?' Merlin asked. It sounded like a good plan.

'Try to imagine Uther's reaction at finding his ward missing, gone off to see a bunch of people Uther would execute as soon as he could get his hands on them?'

She had a point there, so he nodded.

'Well, I agree with you that Merlin should not tell anyone about his magic, not even Morgana, which leaves only me to talk to her. Trust me, we'll be in an awful mess if we don't deal with this correctly.'

'Legend says we'll be in an awful mess?' Merlin asked.

'Yes.'

'And you're going to change it?' He had to try hard to keep himself from smiling too widely. She was really going to do it!

'I thought that if that's what I'm going to do anyway, I might as well do it thoroughly,' she shrugged. 'And maybe, just maybe, it will create a better future for all of us.' _How I wish…_ Merlin heard her think. The force of that thought made him realise how badly she wanted this to work out.

'You can do this,' he told her. _If anyone can do it, it's you._

_Let's hope you're right._

**Alina**

She must be out of her mind. What was she thinking anyway? Did she truly believe that just because she had so much knowledge that she could change something that was so important in the legend? How arrogant she was!

But this was also the only way that she knew had any chance of not ending up in Morgana's downfall and therefore alone she had to try. She wouldn't lose Morgana as a friend.

She knocked on Morgana's door.

'Come in,' she heard her friend reply.

Alina went in and closed the door behind her. Morgana was sitting on her bed, already dressed in her training outfit, but not preparing to come outside. Alina could see that she had been crying, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

'Oh, Morgana!' she sighed. 'You've been crying, haven't you?'

'I'm fine,' she said in a voice that belied her words.

'I don't believe that for a second,' Alina said, walking over to sit next to her. 'You should have talked to someone. It's not fair to let you go through this nightmare all by yourself.'

'It was an accident,' Morgana said half-heartedly.

Alina shook her head. 'You don't believe that.'

'What other explanation could there possibly be?'

'Would it help if I said Merlin and I overheard your conversation with Gaius?'

She looked at her, horror-struck. 'I didn't know what I was talking about!'

Morgana's first impulse was to deny it, as would have been her own. She understood perfectly. But the lie was too obvious to miss, even if she hadn't known anything about this.

'You did,' she disagreed. 'You know it was magic that happened last night. And before you start denying or shouting at me, I'm not going to report all this to Uther. Calm down, Morgana. It's okay to admit it. I know.'

'You know?' Morgana echoed.

She nodded. 'Last night, when I was trying to calm you, your eyes flashed gold and the jar on the table exploded,' she explained.

'And you didn't tell Uther?' the king's ward asked in a disbelieving voice.

'You're my friend, Morgana. Do you honestly believe that I would be capable of doing that to you?'

'When it comes to magic…,' Morgana started hesitantly.

'I approach the subject a little different from Uther,' she told her.

'Why?'

She took a deep breath. 'Well, how to explain this?' she wondered aloud. 'Let me see.' She glanced around Morgana's room and she saw that one of Morgana's dresses had fallen on the ground. So she held out her hand, muttered the spell and the dress started to float back to the chair on which it had lain.

Her concentration broke when Morgana cried out. The dress fell back to the floor.

'Darn!' she growled. 'Moving objects like this has never been my strong point,' she added apologetically.

Morgana looked at her with a combination of wonder, admiration and surprise. Thank the heavens that she was not scared.

'You are like me,' she managed to say.

Alina nodded. 'Hence my approach to magic differs from Uther's. I just wanted to let you know that I'm there for you whenever you need me.'

'You practise magic right under his nose!'

'That's the idea. Well, most of the time it's necessary to keep Arthur's butt out of trouble.'

She appeared to be thinking very hard. 'Cornelius Sigan…?'

'Was defeated by magic, yes,' she confirmed. 'As was some stupid questing beast and an evil witch who wanted to get Arthur killed some time ago.' She was not going to take the credit for doing all those amazing things, but at the same time she wanted to let Morgana know that there was a way to use magic to help Camelot.

'You don't think magic is evil, then?'

'If I believed that, what would I be thinking about myself then?' she asked, raising an eyebrow.

A shocked little laugh escaped Morgana as it hit her what all this meant. 'I'm not alone.'

'You're not,' she agreed. 'Merlin wanted me to let you know that he's there for you as well.'

'How are you so sure that he won't tell Uther?'

'He's been keeping my secret, too. In fact, he's been helping me with saving Arthur's royal backside more than once. Besides, he's your friend. He could never do that to someone he cares about.' _Cares a bit too much about, perhaps._

Morgana broke into sobs suddenly, from relief, Alina guessed. So she just held her closely and let her cry. She clearly needed it, so she gave her time.

'You're really not going to betray me?'

'Of course not.'

'You're going to help me?'

'What do you think?'

Morgana finally smiled for real, a smile that reached her eyes. 'Well, I think we should get to training, then,' she said.

The two women smiled at each other and Alina felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had made another move to change the legend. The future looked very bright. Legend was truly going to change… for the better.

* * *

She went down to the dragon later that day. She was of the opinion that he should be informed of what she had done, even though he might not be too amused by it. He needed to know anyway. And besides, maybe in this twisted form of legend it wouldn't been Morgana's destiny at all to become an evil witch. But since she was not the expert on prophecies and destinies around here, she would need to go to the one who was.

The guards were all too easily distracted. All it took this time was some playing with the light of the torches. The guards seemed to think the place was haunted and did not know how fast they could get out of there. Alina smirked. Sometimes Camelot's guards were absolutely beyond stupid, far beyond.

'Hello?' she called out once she was in the dragon's den.

The dragon flew to his rock immediately. She started to get used to this, so now she wasn't startled anymore. It still wasn't a nice experience to be faced with a very large dragon all of a sudden, though. She had a feeling he enjoyed this a little too much.

'What is it you want from me this time, young sorceress?' he asked in a gentle voice.

'I'm here about the Lady Morgana,' she explained.

'The witch,' the dragon agreed.

'That's not really sounding nice, don't you think?' she asked. 'But it is true that I came here to inform you that her magic is finally developing.'

'It would be better if the witch never knew the full extent of her powers,' the enormous beast said immediately.

'Ugh, that is exactly what you said in the legend I know. Besides, I disagree.'

The dragon's head moved closer to hers. This made her feel slightly uncomfortable. Even though she knew he would not hurt her, she could not help but notice that his mouth alone was at least thrice her entire size, if not more. 'She cannot be trusted.'

'Why, because some prophecy says so?'

'The ancient prophecies speak of an alliance of Mordred and Morgana, united in evil.'

'Yes, I've heard that before,' she said impatiently. So far he had told her nothing new. She heard all this before, although not in the same episode, she had to give him that. 'And I'm not here to hear things I already know. I've come to hear if maybe in this strange form of legend Morgana is not destined for evil.'

'If you already know, young sorceress, than why have you come here?'

_I believe I just said that_. 'Is there a prophecy that says that Morgana is not destined for evil?' she repeated. 'Or if she is, that this destiny can be prevented from coming true.'

He moved a little closer still. 'Only if she dies, Alina.'

She backed away, disgusted. 'You are out of your mind!' she told him. 'Do you honestly think I'll even consider something that bad?'

'It is the only way.'

She shook her head fiercely. 'No, you're wrong. You're most definitely wrong there! I've told her about my magic and she took it really well. I've prevented her from turning bad!'

'NO!' the dragon bellowed. 'NO!' He reared up.

'And you can stop acting like that,' she snapped, her temper getting the better of her. 'It's not like it's the end of the world. Believe me, I know this legend by heart and this was the best solution to the problem of Morgana's magic.'

'You know nothing, young sorceress!' the beast hissed.

'No, you're wrong,' she said in a cold voice. 'You may hold the knowledge of the past and of the ancient prophecies, but I hold the knowledge of the future that will be if I do not prevent it from happening. And I will prevent it, make no mistake about that!'

The dragon looked at her with an expression that was almost shock. 'You would cast my advice aside, young sorceress?'

She nodded. 'Yes, I would. And I think you know why. You were the one who kept rambling on how I was supposed to change legend. It's hardly fair that you now blame me for doing exactly that.'

That took him by surprise. 'The ancient prophecies only state that you were meant to marry Arthur, young sorceress. Nothing else.'

She had a feeling she did not like this prophecies at all. Of one thing she was sure, she would not make the same mistake the dragon did: she would not become a prisoner of prophecy and destiny. She would make her own decisions.

'Then you had better look at them again,' she replied icily. 'For even if there is not a word about this in it, I'm going to do it anyway. You just watch me.'

Before he could react to that, she had turned her back on him and left the cave.

* * *

**So, what do you think? Please use this beautiful button below to tell me!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Hey guys, there's chapter 30. I hope you like it. If you do, you'll have ****Rya3SaberVltar to thank for it (applause), because it was at his suggestion that this chapter is the way it is. Anyway, I greatly enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you enjoy reading it just as much. Please review to let me know what you think.**

* * *

**Chapter 29**

**Merlin**

'So, how did she take it?' Merlin asked eagerly.

Alina smiled. 'Really well. Really, really well. She was beaming at me, so happy that she's not alone in this.' Her smile widened. 'I'm almost certain that I've changed the legend at this point.'

'And that's a good thing?'

'I think so. I have to admit that I have thoroughly messed up the story, though.'

'Can you tell me?'

'I think so. Since it's probably not going to happen.' She took a deep breath. 'Had we done nothing, or had we decided to carry out your stupid plan, she would have turned evil eventually. In the end, she would have ended up murdering Uther.'

Merlin could not quite decide on what to feel. He was shocked by Alina's revelation of what would have become of his friend. But he was also more than happy that she had prevented this horror. He liked Morgana. He could not bear for her to use her gifts for the wrong ends.

'She would?'

'Absolutely,' she nodded. 'But there's no need to look so frightened, Merlin. It's not going to happen.'

'Are you sure?'

'Well, in life nothing is sure,' she said. 'But as far as sure goes, I'm sure.'

He grinned at her, too happy to find the words.

Alina's expression grew serious again. 'We are, however, not yet out of trouble.'

He frowned. 'How so?'

'Uther's still convinced that his ward is attacked by magic. He is going to hunt sorcerers very soon. All of them,' she replied. 'Everyone they have under suspicion.'

'Even if they're innocent?' Merlin asked in a disbelieving voice.

'Of course, Merlin!' she said annoyed. Her tone could rival that of a very annoyed Arthur. He really had a bad influence on her. 'Uther doesn't care if they're innocent! All he cares about is Morgana's safety.'

He had to admit that she had a point there. 'Do you already have a plan?' he wondered.

She shrugged. 'Kind of, but I'm not really pleased with it,' she replied.

'Why not?'

'Because you would end up taking all the risks and that I can't have.'

'If we do nothing, Uther will kill innocent people,' Merlin pointed out. 'What is this plan of yours?'

'Well, to prevent Uther from arresting people who didn't do it, we have to present him with someone who did do it,' she explained.

'You want to tell him Morgana did it?' he yelled.

'If you shout a little harder, we can save ourselves all the trouble, because Uther will already know,' she said dryly. 'No, I don't want to tell him Morgana is the one responsible. My idea is that we invent a sorcerer who wreaked havoc in Morgana's room, or that's the story we're going to feed him.'

He needed a few moments to process what she had just asked of him and then he started yelling again. 'You want _me_ to do that?'

She nodded. 'Yes.'

'Do you want to get me killed?'

'I didn't say you had to be recognizable,' she grinned. 'How would you feel about being an old man for a day or so?'

* * *

He was out of his mind. He was most definitely out of his mind. He could not come up with another explanation as to why he had let Alina talk him into this. But then, her idea had made sense, perfect sense even. This way they would make sure that no one got hurt. And Alina had assured him that she would make sure that he would come out unscathed.

The idea was that he would disguise himself as an old man, by using an aging potion. Thus disguised he would go to Morgana's room and make sure that he would get caught. Had that happened he would let himself be led before the king, where he would declare that he was the one responsible for last night's events and that he acted completely alone, so that Uther would leave all his other suspects alone. After this confession he would use magic to escape. He would drink the potion that would make him his normal, young self again and no one would be the wiser. Uther would start a witch hunt for an old man, but that could do no harm, since there would not be such a person anymore.

Alina had been more than willing to do it herself, but all of them had to admit that her absence would doubtlessly be noticed, whereas he could be missed very easy. If everything went according to plan, no one would even notice him missing, but if things would take longer, Alina had promised to cover for him.

He took the potion in the privacy of his own room. At first, nothing appeared to be happening, but then he felt his body age and age very, very quickly. It was hard to tell how this transformation itself felt, because it seemed to take up hardly any time at all, but when the process was over, it hurt. His entire body hurt with all kinds of little pains in places that he didn't even know existed. Was this what it was like to be an old man?

He dressed himself in one of Gaius' old robes and then he went down to where Gaius and Alina were waiting. Alina's jaw dropped and even Gaius had to blink in surprise a few times.

'You know me better than anyone, Gaius,' Merlin said. For a moment he forgot the question. That wasn't even his voice he heard. He sounded… well, he sounded like a very old man. To be quite honest, this scared him. But he had chosen to do this, he would have to go through with it now. 'Do you recognize me?'

Gaius moved a bit closer. 'There's something of you in the eyes,' his mentor replied. 'But maybe that's just because I know it's you.'

That at least sounded like good news. When he got caught nobody would even dream of suspecting Merlin to have anything to do with all of this. He guessed that should be a consolation.

He walked, or rather stumbled, over to the mirror so that he could have a good look at himself and then he got the shock of a lifetime. He did not recognize the man staring back at him, at all. Who on earth was this? The old sorcerer in Gaius' old robes had long white hair and a ridiculous long beard. He looked… old, there was no other word for it. He had to come to the very unpleasant conclusion that he looked older than his mentor. But he could see what Gaius had meant when he said that his eyes still were the same. It was reassuring to have at least one thing that was unchanged.

'I can't believe that one day, I'll actually look like this,' he said. His changed voice still kind of shocked him, but he was getting used to that. He then made a wrong move and suddenly his back started aching, worse than before, that is. 'Ooh!' he exclaimed. 'I ache, all over.'

'Ah, well, now you know how I feel,' Gaius said cheerfully.

Alina smiled. 'Your disguise is perfect, though,' she said. 'Exactly as I remember it from the story.'

That distracted him. 'Wait, this is legend? I thought you changed that.'

'I have,' she agreed. 'Let's just say that I've borrowed this idea from another part of legend, one that isn't very likely to happen with everything that has changed.' She handed him a staff. 'Here, this might help you walking. We can't have you falling down the stairs because you lost your balance, now, can we?'

'Thank you,' he said, grateful for the staff. It would be good to have something to lean on.

'Oh, and Merlin?' she said, before he could leave. 'Have you thought up a name for our imaginary sorcerer?'

He hadn't even thought about that. 'Ehm, no,' he realised. 'Any suggestions?'

'Actually, yes.' Her smile widened into a grin. 'Dragoon,' she said. 'Dragoon the Great.'

* * *

Merlin walked through the castle as fast as his legs would take him, which was not as fast as he would have liked. In his young form he could even walk twice as hard when he carried all of Arthur's armour around. This was more than frustrating.

_One day I'll not be able to walk any faster than I do now_, he realised. It was not an encouraging thought.

It was the idea that someone saw him entering Morgana's chambers, but there appeared to be not a single guard or knight in sight. Maybe Alina was right in saying that they were never there when you needed them. He had to make three rounds before he spotted Arthur, talking to some guards. Perfect. That was what he needed.

He grunted in pain as he made a wrong move again. This made Arthur look up. There was a suspecting look on his face, so the now not-so-young warlock thought he had taken the bait. He walked on, as suspiciously as he could. The footsteps behind him were proof enough that the prince was following, although he did not look over his shoulder, so Arthur would not know that he was on to him.

He entered Morgana's chambers and started to throw some spells around. Some of Morgana's dresses started dancing by themselves, which looked kind of ridiculous, in the corner her boots started cleaning themselves and the apples on the tables started juggling themselves.

_You're overdoing it a little, aren't you?_ Alina commented dryly, but Merlin could tell that she was amused.

When he was finished doing that, and it did not take him long, he went over to the bed and started to mutter some kind of nonsense spell over a fake poultice. He was only halfway through the "incantation" when he heard Arthur enter. He pretended not to have heard that and he also pretended not to hear Arthur's shocked gasp when he saw what was happening in the room.

He only stopped babbling when he felt Arthur's sword put at his back. 'Show yourself,' the prince's voice said. Merlin knew him long enough to tell when he was angry. He was right now. 'Who are you?'

'I am…,' he started slowly, before spinning around and facing Arthur. 'Dragoon, the Great!'

Arthur's expression of complete and utter confusion was probably one of the most funny things he'd ever seen. Alina's little scheme started to get even nice.

'Is it you who attacked Morgana last night?' the prince asked.

Merlin cocked his head. 'You have caught me,' he told him. _Took you long enough_. 'I have no choice but to confess!'

Arthur pointed his sword against his chest. 'I should run you through where you stand,' he said angrily.

Oops. That wasn't the plan. 'You really wouldn't want to do _that _if I were you, because if you do _that_…!' He fell silent at this point of his speech, because he had no idea what would happen then, so he just said the first thing that popped into his head. 'You will never learn of my plan.'

'What plan?' Arthur said confused.

'Exactly!' Merlin snapped at Arthur. It pleased him that his master backed away in shock. 'That's why you can't run me through!'

Arthur looked him in the eyes. 'Have we met?' he wondered.

Uh-oh. Had the prince seen through his disguise? He pretended to study the prince closely and then shook his head. 'No, I don't believe so. I never forget a face.'

Arthur wasn't going to let go of this one. 'Your eyes!' he said, pointing at them. 'We've met somewhere before.' He sounded pretty sure. Merlin was certain that this was not a good development.

'Me? No!' he growled. 'Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. There's always more trouble I can cause.'

The sword immediately pointed at his chest again. 'You are not going anywhere,' Arthur said icily.

**Alina**

Alina had gone down to the council chambers with Morgana to join in the meeting that was going on there. Uther was planning a strategy for finding Morgana's non-existent attacker.

'But there is none,' Morgana whispered to Alina. 'I won't have him execute innocent people on my behalf.'

'That's not going to happen,' she assured her. 'I've managed to find a solution. You just wait and see.'

The king's ward frowned. 'Really?'

'Trust me. I pulled a few strings. To tell you the truth, I expect them to be here soon.'

Morgana gave her a very confused look, but she did not answer her anymore. It was better if she would see for herself.

She had hardly finished that thought before Arthur came marching into the room. There really was no other word for it. Following closely behind was a disguised Merlin, controlled by two of Camelot's useless guards.

'Father,' Arthur greeted.

Uther looked up in surprise. 'Arthur.' Then he looked at Merlin and his expression became confused. 'Who is this?'

'This is the sorcerer that attacked Morgana last night,' Arthur announced.

Beside her, Morgana tensed. She knew, of course, that there was no such person. And Alina had a feeling that she had expected her to solve this problem in another way, not like this. The princess could hardly bite back a smile.

Arthur handed his father the fake poultice. 'I found him placing this under Morgana's pillow.'

Uther studied it for a few seconds and then faced Merlin, who looked almost smug. Alina had a feeling that her friend had started to enjoy himself. 'Is this true?' the king demanded.

'Yes,' Merlin confessed.

'And you acted alone?'

'Yes.'

_Do try to sound not too cheerful, Merlin_, she thought at him. _You're not supposed to think this funny._

The old man smirked. _But it is. So much more than I thought it would be. I nearly scared the crap out of Arthur. You'll have to admit that is hilarious._

_All right. Just try not to show it too much._

'What did you hope to achieve with this enchantment?' the king asked.

'To bring chaos to Camelot,' Merlin replied. 'I hoped to cause the worst of nightmares with the poultice, the worst hallucinations imaginable, so that she would not have a moment's rest. And I wanted to show you that your guards are utterly useless, Uther Pendragon. It was too easy to get past them and attack your lovely ward.' He smiled a very scary smile at Morgana, who backed away automatically. 'I've done you a great favour.' He made a slight bow.

Alina had trouble controlling herself. It took her all she had not to burst out into laughter.

'Have I wronged you in some way, old man?' the king inquired, leaning closer over the table.

_Well, Merlin, here's your chance_, she told him. _Now you can say what you've always wanted to say to him._

He indeed took the chance. 'You have wronged so many people, in so many ways. You're blinded by your hatred of magic! You have tortured and executed innocent people. You, Uther Pendragon, are a stupid, arrogant old tyrant!' he shouted.

This was exactly how she remembered it from the legend. Her friend really did an amazing job here.

Arthur grabbed his arm. 'Hold your tongue!' he ordered.

Merlin now got the hang of it, so now it was Arthur who was in for a lecture of Dragoon's. 'And you? Oh, I've heard how you…' He thought for a moment.

_Mistreat your servants?_ Alina innocently suggested.

'Mistreat your servants!' Merlin snapped. 'They do everything for you, but do they ever get any thanks? No! You're a spoilt arrogant brat with the brains of a donkey and the face…' He coughed. 'Of a toad,' he finished.

Arthur's expression of horror and confusion was indeed one of the funniest things she had seen in months. Before he had recovered himself from all the insults Merlin had managed to sum up in only a few sentences, Merlin threw a few enchantments around him and the room filled with smoke. Alina quickly covered her face and coughed away the smoke that she had accidentally breathed in. All around her people did the same.

The smoke disappeared as fast as it had come, and when it did, Merlin was gone.

'The sorcerer!' Uther exclaimed. 'Where has he gone?'

In the chaos that followed, Morgana whispered to her. 'Did you stage all this?'

She nodded. 'I told you I had this covered.'

'The old man, will he be all right?' she asked in a worried voice.

'Don't fret, Morgana. He's long gone.'

'How did you persuade him to endanger his life for me?'

She smiled as she replied. 'Let's just say that he's got a soft spot for you.' Morgana had no idea how true this was.

'What…?' she said.

Alina was about to answer that, when Arthur came over to them. 'Are you all right?'

Alina nodded. 'Are you? After all, it wasn't us that was first insulted and then caught right in the middle of the smoke.'

'Thank you for reminding me, Alina!' Arthur snapped.

'Hey, I didn't say you had the ehm… face of a donkey and the brains of a toad!' She waited a moment for the maximum effect. 'Or was it the other way round?' Morgana was unable to control herself any longer and burst into laughing.

'Very funny, Alina,' he commented. He looked around him, as if literally looking for another subject. 'And speaking of funny, where is Merlin? I haven't seen him all afternoon. I can't find him anywhere.'

The temptation really was too much. 'I think he said he was going to spend the day in the tavern.'

The expression on Arthur's face made this little joke totally worth it. 'Oh, did he?' he replied, his voice betraying that Merlin would be in big trouble if he managed to find him. 'We'll see about that. If you find him, tell him that he'll be sorry for that.'

He walked away after that, apparently still angry, but whether that was directed at his servant or at the old sorcerer was difficult to tell.

_Merlin?_ she thought at him.

_Yes?_

_Are you back to your normal self again?_

_Yes. The antidote worked. Thanks._

_Good_, she continued. _Then you may want to hide for a few hours._

There was a suspicious edge to his thoughts. _Why is that?_

_Arthur's a little angry with you_, she replied. _He was looking for you and I may have let it slip that you had the intention of spending the day in the tavern_.

There was a short, almost disbelieving silence and then… _You told him I was going… _**where**_?_

* * *

**That was it for today. Next chapter should be up tomorrow and then there is this troll that you doubtlessly all know about coming to visit Camelot…**


	30. Chapter 30

**Hey guys, here's the next chapter. I really don't have anything else to say, so just read and review!**

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**Chapter 30**

**Alina**

Alina felt more confident of herself every day. She had saved Arthur several times, mostly from his own stupidity, but also from quite a few bandits. There seemed to be a lot of those in the forests surrounding Camelot. Every time she thought she had seen the last of them (Camelot's patrols killed most of them, so they should be nearly extinct by now), along came yet another lot of those creeps. Most of rescues were nothing more than swinging a sword around and letting some branches drop on some unfortunate bandits, though.

The hunt for Dragoon had dragged on for weeks on end, but after two months of fruitless attempts even Uther had to admit that this was becoming a wild goose chase. He had called of the hunt, but everyone was to keep an eye open for an elderly man with a long white beard and if he was ever sighted, it had to be reported immediately. Thanks to this little deception there had been no druid hunt, no people killed. Alina felt more than happy to discover that she, for the first time, managed to change a major thing in legend. The nightmare episode had been greatly reduced as a result of her actions and she was proud of that.

The dragon could go to hell with his prophecies, for all she cared. Morgana was not evil. In fact she was probably a far better friend than she was before, which proved to Alina beyond doubt that the prophecies were a whole load of rubbish, certainly not worth any of her time listening to.

Her relationship with Arthur was also growing. She liked to be in his company and strangely so, he liked it if she was there. There was not a lot of time for romantic moments, as there always seemed to be other people around or bursting in (like Merlin), but they grew very close as the months passed.

The incident with Lancelot and Guinevere passed, almost unchanged from the legend. Only Arthur's reasons for deciding to save Gwen had been different. He was had begun to consider Gwen a good friend and he was not going to leave her at the mercy of those criminals. Besides, Morgana would have personally strangled him if he hadn't.

* * *

Life in Camelot had become rather boring after that, though Alina preferred that over the chaos she had now witnessed on several occasions. Episodes she had once enjoyed very much while watching, were not so funny in real life. She knew what was coming their way next and she would not mind one bit if the troll decided to delay her visit indefinitely.

Of course, it came much sooner than she liked. It was only two months before Connor would return to Camelot for her wedding that disaster struck. Alina had been answering some letters, when a knock on her door disturbed her.

'Come in,' she called without looking up.

'Busy?' Arthur's voice asked.

She got up. 'I didn't expect to see you here at this time!' she said in a surprised voice. 'Are you already done training for the day?'

He pulled her in for an embrace. She let him. She liked this a little more than she would ever dare to admit.

'If only that were true,' he replied. 'But I fear my father has summoned us all to the council chambers. Apparently a noble guest has arrived.'

She frowned. 'I thought we were not expecting company for at least the next three weeks,' she said. 'Who is the guest?'

Arthur shrugged. 'Some lady, it seems. Lady… Catrina, I thought it was.'

She tried not to show anything at hearing that familiar name. _Oh no_, she thought. _What on earth am I going to do about this one?_

She had thought long and hard on the subject and still she had no clue as to what she was supposed to do about it. Warning Uther that a troll was coming to Camelot was probably not such a good idea, because she would have to explain how she knew that and that she could not do without getting herself killed. But without this essential piece of information there was not much she could do to persuade Uther not to react to this very beautiful woman the way legend would have him do. In short, she did not believe there was much she could do to change legend at this point, unless she could reveal the true nature of their guest before she could enchant the king.

To achieve this she had sought out every book on trolls, their magic and revealing magic. There was not much that was useful. In the library books on the subject had been mostly removed during the Great Purge and her own books had not much to tell on the subject. Gaius' books were equally informative.

'Lady Catrina?' she repeated. 'I've never heard of her. Who is she?'

'I think she's an old friend of my father. He certainly seemed to recognize the name, implying that she is something of a beauty. The way he acted, you would almost say that they were a little bit more than friends.'

Arthur had an idea about what was about to happen to his father's feelings, but she kept quiet. He was dead on about this one.

He misinterpreted her expression. 'No need to look so shocked, Alina. I don't really believe that.'

She forced her face into a smile. 'As long as _you_ don't think she is something of a beauty, I don't see the need to worry. She's welcome to your father, as long as she doesn't look at you twice.'

This had Arthur laughing. 'You really are very sweet when you're jealous, Alina.'

'Hey, that's my line,' she protested, laughing.

Arthur simply looked into her eyes, expressing all his feelings for her with a single look. The prince was not good with words, but when he looked at her like that, she could not doubt that he loved her greatly.

Their love was still something that had this feeling of fairy tale about it, something that could not possibly be real. But it was real. They belonged together, she felt, knew that with every fibre of her being. But she hated the lies that still hung between them. Sometimes her body ached to tell him the truth, let him know her as completely as she knew him. Between partners there should be no lies, no secrets, that was what she always had believed. But that could not be, not yet.

This was one of their rare moments. Arthur pulled her in his embrace and kissed her. She surrendered to it, let it overwhelm her. In his arms she felt as complete as she had ever felt.

'You see, there is no reason for jealousy, my lady,' he whispered in her ear.

She could not help but grin sheepishly. It was almost unbelievable how happy he made her. 'You've convinced me,' she teased him. 'Let's go down to the council chambers, before your father starts suspecting the worst.'

'And what would the worst be, my lady?' He called her that when they were together. The way he spoke it, it sounded like a caress, even though the title had started out as a teasing insult.

She offered him one of her sweetest smiles. 'I'll leave that to your own imagination.'

Arthur held her close throughout the walk and Alina allowed her thoughts to wander back to the so-called Lady Catrina. Would she try to use one of her revelation spells to unmask the woman for the monster that she was? If she succeeded, she would save all of them a whole lot of trouble, but if she failed, the most likely outcome was either her arrest or Lady Catrina settling in Camelot.

Uther looked approvingly at Arthur and her when they entered. Uther was a great fan of them being a couple. He loved his son and liked her and truly rejoiced when he found out that the arranged union had blossomed into a strong love.

Merlin looked at their hands and got a very Merlinish smile on his face. Alina knew he was another great fan of their love, albeit for very different reasons than Uther. He was happy because destiny had been saved (as if destiny needed saving), but, more importantly, he was happy for them, because two of his friends were happy. That was the way Merlin thought and one of the most important reasons why he had become such a close and trusted friend to both of them.

They positioned themselves on Uther's right hand. It was custom for Alina to sit, while Arthur had to remain on his feet. Her prince offered her his hand to help her sit and then went to stand next to her, still holding her hand.

_He's become something of a romantic, hasn't he?_ Merlin remarked with a smile.

_Have you nothing else to do than check up on my love life?_ she retorted. _I swear that your interest is starting to worry me. It can't be healthy. _

_There's not much else going on, on that subject at least._

_You'll be happy to know that's about to change then._

He raised an eyebrow, not understanding what she meant.

_Our guest,_ she clarified.

_That's a big event?_

_You bet._

_How can a noble lady possibly be a big event?_ he wondered.

_Not so noble_, she thought back.

She could read the question written all over his face, but there was no more time to explain. The Lady Catrina entered the room. Maybe it was because she knew this was all an act, or maybe it really was that obvious. The troll in disguise almost stumbled into the council chamber, making a show of how weak and vulnerable she was.

The deception was lost on Uther. He rose from his seat. 'Lady Catrina, is it really you?' he asked.

'I can hardly believe it myself,' the woman said, making a slight bow.

'We heard tidings from the north that the house of Tregor had…,' he hesitated, but then finished. 'Fallen to invaders.'

'All that you heard was true, my lord,' she replied. 'And worse.'

'Your father, the king?'

'Gone, sire. The enemy attacked without warning. We were outnumbered five to one. He could not endure.' She sounded like she was about to burst out into crying any moment now. If Alina hadn't known that she was not the Lady Catrina for real, then maybe she would have bought it. As it was, it only irritated her. 'I would never have survived had it not been for my faithful servant Jonas.'

She looked at the creature that was standing half behind the troll. Alina still wondered what kind of creature he was. He looked kind of normal, but even if she would not have known him, she would still have felt that there was something not right about him. He was not entirely human. Something in his appearance made her feel like she would not trust to take her eyes off him when he was in the room, for fear he would do something to her.

'But we did survive,' the troll went on. 'And we have made it this far.' After saying that she let herself collapse onto the ground, so Uther had to catch her.

_What a drama queen_, she thought.

Merlin frowned. _Why do you say that? She has been through a lot. It's only natural_.

_Sure_, she thought back sarcastically. _No woman with a shred of self-respect would let herself fall into the arms of a man she hasn't seen for years, Merlin, unless she wants something of him and what that is, I dread to think. I'll explain later._

She would have to fill him in on the details, but it would be wiser to do that in a real conversation and not in public over the mind link. She got a feeling Merlin would not be able to control his reaction when she told him what exactly was the matter with this noble lady.

'Forgive me, my lord,' she sighed. 'I fear my trials have taken their toll.'

_Ugh._

'Your sufferings are beyond imagining, my lady,' the king said. 'It would be an honour to help you in any way we can.'

'A bed for the night would be most welcome,' the troll replied.

_Would that be a bed or a stinking cave filled with dung and rotten fruit?_

'Then consider yourselves our esteemed guests,' the king told the troll. 'It's the least we can do.'

_She's got him _so_ wrapped around her little finger._

**Merlin**

Merlin did not understand why Alina disliked the Lady Catrina almost at first sight. Of course, she would have some information considering the lady, but then, Alina had also admitted that some things here did not quite go the way she expected. But Gaius also did not seem to warm up to the noble guest. Merlin was trying to get some information from him, when Arthur called him, telling him he had a job for him.

'Work, work, work,' he said when walking away. Was there no end to his chores?

His mood brightened when he found out what the job was. Carrying bags for the lady and her servant was not as bad as some other jobs Arthur could have let him do, like mucking out his horses.

He showed them to their rooms.

'I'm sorry, this is not quite what you're used to,' he apologised.

'Forgive me, but I didn't get your name,' Catrina said, smiling at him.

'It's Merlin,' he replied, surprised she even asked about it. He was used to noblemen treating him like he wasn't even there most of the time, with Alina being the only exception of course.

'Well, Merlin,' she said. 'Considering we spent last night in a cave, this will do very nicely, thank you.'

Merlin had to make sure that he was really awake. A noble woman thanking him? It was something he had not experienced before.

'Well, if you need anything, just ask,' he said with a huge smile. 'My master's chambers are only upstairs.'

'My mistress and I could not be more grateful for the kindness you have shown us,' Jonas said, and while there was something not quite right about the way he spoke, his words were kind.

'You're welcome,' he said and then exited the room.

_Honestly, Alina, I can't see what would be wrong with her._

_Well, I can._

_Couldn't you tell me?_

_Not like this. You're heading for Gaius' chambers?_

_Yes, you too?_

_I'll see you there._ And she was gone.

Talking like this was fun, but sometimes she was even more cryptic than the Great Dragon. What was wrong with just saying what she believed was the matter with Lady Catrina? But it wasn't just her, though. Gaius had been very taciturn and thoughtful on the subject as well. If the two of them suspected something and that without having talked about it first, that should be reason enough for him to suspect something too. And yet, the lady had been so nice, even after all the horrors she had witnessed.

He walked into Gaius' chambers to find his mentor and Alina sitting at the table, discussing something.

'Are you going to tell me what's going on?' he asked, a little sharper than he had intended, but he felt left out and that was not a nice feeling.

Alina smiled. 'I know you're angry with me, but, in my defence, I was not entirely sure you would be able to control your reaction if I told you over the mind link. I thought it would be better to discuss this in person. I think you had better sit down.'

Merlin still wasn't sure that he wanted to hear what she believed or that it even was true for that matter, but most of the time, whenever he did not believe her when she said something, he had been proven wrong, so now he would think twice before ignoring her words.

'So, what's wrong?' Merlin asked when he sat.

Alina thought hard. 'Where to begin?' she wondered. 'Gaius, why don't you start?'

'When Catrina was only a child, she suffered from an incurable disease,' his mentor told him. 'It was a rare bone disorder affecting her joints. She often had difficulty walking, especially after a long ride.'

This had him thinking. 'She walks as well as you or I,' he remarked.

'So I have noticed.'

'Couldn't it have cured itself?' he wondered.

'Diseases are called incurable for a reason, Merlin.'

'So, you think that she is not the Lady Catrina?' he concluded. 'That she is an imposter?'

'Worse than that, I am afraid,' Alina spoke up. 'In my time there is a story about what's happening here now. It's titled _The beauty and the beast_ and it describes the events happening when a beautiful lady comes to Camelot, trying to win the king's heart. She goes by the name of Catrina of Tregor, but in truth she is no lady, not even a beauty.'

'Then who is she?' Merlin asked, feeling slightly nervous now that his friend looked so solemn.

Alina took a deep breath and then spat it out: 'She is a troll, taking a potion to look like the Lady Catrina.'

If anyone else would have said that, Merlin would have laughed out loud at such an ungrounded accusation, but he had more than enough experience with Alina's knowledge not to doubt a word she said, even though it seemed to be ridiculous.

'What's she doing here then?'

'That is something we do not need to concern ourselves with now,' she said decisively. 'For now, we need to find out if I'm right. Believe me, I _want_ to be wrong about this.'

'Are you going to change legend again?'

'I'm not sure that I can. Only imagine trying to tell Uther that his esteemed guest is a troll and that her servant has a tail.'

'A what?'

'Didn't I mention that? Never mind. No, the best thing we can hope for now is to speed this up as much as we possibly can. But to do that, we must be sure first.'

He connected the dots. 'You're going to ask something I am not going to like, aren't you?'

She grimaced. 'Listen, I need you to do as follows…'


	31. Chapter 31

**Hello everyone. Here's chapter 31. I feel I've been neglecting Arthur's POV a little in the last few chapters, so to make up for that, this entire chapter is from Arthur's POV. Also, I decided to make him a little less clueless than in the series. Hope that turned out well. Enjoy and please review!**

* * *

**Chapter 31**

**Arthur **

Arthur had retired early to give his father and his guest some time alone. Once he was in his room, he decided that he might use that extra time to get some sleep, since he was really tired after a hard day's training. So he walked over to his window for one last look at Alina's window for the day, a habit he had developed over the last few months and of which he only had become aware because Merlin pointed it out. Arthur had thrown a goblet at his head for the trouble.

Alina had not been there, so he suspected she was having dinner with Gaius and Merlin, whilst discussing the best way to treat an infected wound or something like that. He still felt that jealousy when he noticed how much time Merlin and Alina spent together, but he now knew that there was no ground for it. Unfortunately, it made him no less jealous. Feelings were strange things.

He was pondering this when he fell asleep and then he had the strangest dream. In this dream he was lying in bed and Merlin sneaked into his room and took the mirror from the wall over to the window. Arthur had no idea why the Merlin in real life would do such a thing, but in dreams everything was possible, including Merlin being a sorcerer. Taken that into account this dream was almost normal.

Arthur turned himself into a comfortable position and simply enjoyed the dream. Merlin opened the window and held out the mirror. He had his back now turned on Arthur, manoeuvring the mirror into the right position to… Well, to do _what_, Arthur suddenly wondered.

It started to dawn on him that maybe this was not a dream, that maybe this was real. And if that was the case, Arthur did not need to think for too long before he figured out why Merlin was using his mirror like this, because the Lady Catrina's room was just below his. Merlin used his room to spy on the lady and that Arthur could not allow.

He stepped out of bed, walking over to his servant, who was too preoccupied to notice him coming.

'Merlin,' he said.

That got his attention. He spun around in shock, dropping the mirror, which collided with the stones in the courtyard seconds later. Arthur could hear the glass fall into a thousand pieces.

'I have no doubt, Merlin, that you've prepared a very good explanation for this,' he went on, trying to sound as calm as he could. Merlin was jeopardizing that attempt by looking so absolutely horrified at getting caught that Arthur barely could hold back his laughter.

'Yes,' Merlin said, then looking over his shoulder. 'No… eh…'

'Apparently I am wrong,' Arthur concluded.

He walked over to the window, pushed Merlin aside and took a look at the remnants of his mirror. He decided to pretend that he had no idea what was going on. Of course he knew, but it would be fun to see how Merlin would try to talk his way out of this.

'Please tell me you weren't spying on Lady Catrina.'

Merlin still looked perfectly terrified, but there was also some disgust in his expression. This had him almost laughing again as he wondered what about the lady could have shocked Merlin so much. Perhaps he had never seen a woman without her clothes before…

_Stop it!_ he told himself. It would not do to burst into laughing while he was trying to lecture his servant.

'It's not what it seems,' Merlin said.

That was a very bad excuse, not his usual level. Arthur got a bit irritated by now. 'Yes, Merlin, this is exactly what it seems,' he began his lecture. 'You've led a sheltered life, you have no social skills whatsoever and Catrina is, I admit, an attractive woman. I understand completely.'

He saw Merlin breathe out in relief.

But he was not yet done. 'And if I ever find you doing it again, I'll feed you to the dogs. Do I make myself clear?'

'Yes, absolutely, sire,' Merlin said, before muttering some inaudible excuse and fleeing from the room. Arthur looked at him, then shook his head, went back to bed and decided to forget the whole matter.

* * *

Merlin did not speak very much when he did his chores the following morning. He appeared to be very preoccupied and Arthur could guess easily at the source of that. While his behaviour was utterly inexcusable, Arthur could not help but feel amused at how Merlin coped, or failed to cope, with the consequences of what he had seen. Arthur tried not to guess too much at that, but failed in that mission.

He was having breakfast when Alina's soft knock on the door disturbed him.

'Come in, Alina!' he called and his fiancée entered.

'Still not up?' she asked disapprovingly.

He showed her his plate. 'I'm having breakfast,' he protested.

'Yes, but you're still in bed and it's already ten o'clock in the morning. I've been up since seven.'

'Ugh,' he muttered. And then, louder: 'Why are you here, Alina?'

'Well, there's something Merlin and I liked to discuss with you,' she said. 'So I think it's better you came to sit at the table.'

He frowned. 'That serious?'

She nodded. Arthur had only seen that look on her face a few times before this and on all that occasions something had been very much wrong. He had no reason to believe that this time would be any different, although he could not possibly guess at what would be wrong now. Everything seemed to be fine in Camelot. There were no evil sorcerers or dangerous beasts on the loose, no terrible illnesses to disturb the peace. In short, there was nothing that could justify such an expression.

He did as she asked nonetheless. 'You look troubled, my lady,' he observed.

She smiled a smile that did not quite reach her eyes, betraying how worried she was. 'That would be because I am,' she replied, sitting herself down opposite Arthur, beckoning Merlin to do the same.

'What is it, Alina?' Arthur asked in his softest voice. 'You can tell me.'

'I know,' she said. She took a deep breath. 'It concerns the Lady Catrina.'

'This has something to do with Merlin spying on her last night?' Arthur asked sharply.

'Kind of,' she admitted. 'But you must know that this is not what it may seem.'

'Then please enlighten me,' Arthur said.

'First you must know that Merlin is in no way to blame for what happened last night,' she started. 'He was merely acting at my request.'

Arthur did not know what he had expected, but it certainly wasn't this. 'At your request?' he echoed, way too loud.

'There's no need to shout, Arthur. What I am trying to say is that Gaius noticed that there was something not right about the Lady Catrina. She is supposed to suffer from an incurable bone disease, but she doesn't have that anymore.'

Arthur had so many questions now that he didn't know where to begin. 'Are you saying she used magic to cure herself?'

She snorted. 'Would it be that I was,' she muttered under her breath before continuing in a louder voice: 'I may have thought that if the lady staying in the room below yours had really been the Lady Catrina. But since she isn't…'

'Alina, what are you actually trying to say?' Arthur asked impatiently. He had no idea what was going on here anymore, but he got a feeling that both Merlin and Alina did not exactly know how to put it. 'How can you say she isn't the Lady Catrina? My father recognized her.'

Merlin was the one to reply. 'I'm going to tell you something,' he said. 'It's not going to be easy.'

He was really losing patience now. 'Then for heaven's sake just tell me!' he exclaimed. 'You two behave like a pair of frightened old women! It's not like I'll have you put in the stocks or something.'

'The Lady Catrina…,' Merlin hesitated another moment before plucking up the courage and spatting it out: 'She's a troll.'

For a moment Arthur did not know what to make of this, but then he started laughing. 'Ha! She can't be that bad!' He then caught Alina's expression and he fell silent immediately. Her look told him that this was not a joke, that they were being serious and that she thought him a total prat for laughing at them.

'Wait, you're serious?'

Alina nodded. 'Unfortunately we are. That was why Merlin used your chambers to spy on her last night. We hoped we could discover what was the matter with Catrina. Well, let's just say that Merlin discovered more than we wanted to.'

Part of him still believed this was a joke, but Alina was not the person to make fun of such serious matters. Whenever Camelot was in some kind of danger, she was more serious about it than even his own father. And besides, if this was all true, that would explain the disgusted expression on Merlin's face when he had reprimanded him on spying on the lady.

'She doesn't look like a troll,' Arthur felt obliged to point out.

'Not during the day,' Alina agreed. 'At night however…'

'Alina, you can't be certain!' Arthur protested. All of this still sounded like a fairy tale, and a very bad one at that.

'As a matter of fact, we can,' Alina contradicted. 'Merlin has seen her in her troll form, which would also explain why her room has not been slept in. Merlin went there to change the sheets, but they were not used. Gaius says that it is known that trolls like to live in caves, surrounded by dung and rotten fruit…' She left it to him to connect the dots.

'You are saying that the Lady Catrina is a troll who sleeps in the caves below the castle, feeding on rotten fruit?' he summarized.

'And that she has a servant with a tail,' Alina said.

'A _what_?'

Merlin nodded fiercely. 'It's true. He was in the room and when he turned, I saw it. It was long and green and…' Merlin was obviously completely disgusted.

'I really don't want to know any more details, Merlin,' Arthur said. 'Well, let's just assume for one moment that I believe all of this, what would you have me do?'

'If only I knew,' Alina sighed. 'Maybe you can talk some sense into your father. He is obviously charmed by her, so we must stop that from becoming more before it's too late.'

'Alina, as much as I love you' (she blushed a little at that) 'I'm still not convinced that anything of what you're telling me right now is even true,' he told her. 'So, I'm not going to tell my father that he should keep his distance, while I don't believe that there is anything the matter with her. She is a nice, attractive woman who has managed to bring a smile back on his face. I'm not going to ruin it for him.'

'Well, he won't be so damn happy to discover that his newfound lady friend is a fruit-munching monster!' Merlin burst out, unable to restrain himself any longer.

'That's enough, Merlin!' Arthur said in a loud voice. 'I can't believe I'm even listening to this! You have no proof of these accusations, so I must ask, order you if need be, to stop it.'

He did not like it one bit that he had to order Alina around as well. There was a sad look in her eyes as she realised that he did not believe her. But he could not allow this nonsense to go through any longer.

Alina reached out over the table to take his hands into hers, thus forcing him to look her in the eyes. 'Then maybe it's time we provided you with some proof.'

* * *

There was no logical reason why he had agreed to this, there really wasn't. But when he had tried to tell Alina that he could not do as she asked, he found himself incapable of doing so. So instead of a refusal, a promise to go with her and give it a try had come out of his mouth and he still did not know how on earth that could have happened.

So now he was walking towards Gaius' chambers to meet Merlin and Alina, who were confident that they could show him all the proof he needed.

He could understand that Merlin would come up with such a story. It would be just his idea of fun. What he, however, could not understand was why such sensible people like Gaius and Alina would go with that. No, not just going with that, believing it. He knew his fiancée long enough to know when she was in earnest and she had been exactly that this morning. But surely there could not be any truth in what she had said?

When he entered Merlin and Alina were both already present, bending over some huge books of Gaius'.

'Troll magic is powerful, Alina,' Gaius was saying. The old physician was standing next to them, clearly giving them advice. 'You must tread with care. If she catches you…'

'It's unlikely I'll live to tell the tale,' she finished. 'I know.'

'Don't try to take her on your own,' Gaius went on.

'Don't worry,' she told him. 'We'll just watch for now. The rest can wait until Arthur believes it. Oh, speaking of the devil… Good to see you, Arthur.' Her kind tone belied her words and Arthur could not help but smile back at her.

'I am still not certain if I believe it,' he warned her.

Her smile widened. 'But you're here. That's what matters. So, let's go.'

They exited the room and started to walk down to the entrance of the castle.

'Where exactly are we going?' Arthur asked.

'It will be only the two of us,' Alina corrected him. 'Merlin's going to keep Jonas of our backs.'

'Right,' Arthur said, before addressing Merlin. 'Don't you want to come and see?'

'Trust me, I saw everything I needed to see,' Merlin replied, sounding disgusted again.

Arthur could not refuse the urge to jump on that. 'I'm sure you did.'

Alina poked him. 'Don't be so unkind, Arthur,' she said. 'I'd like to hear you talk when you've seen her in her true shape. I don't think you would be so eager to look at her twice then.'

'Still jealous, Alina?' he teased.

'_Please_!' she said. 'If I have to rival over your attention with Lady Catrina, I'm not sure you're worth mine.'

They halted near the corridor where the room of Lady Catrina was.

'Good luck,' Alina said to Merlin.

'Good luck to you,' Merlin said with emphasis. 'You need it more.'

'We'll be fine,' Alina assured him. 'We meet back in my room as soon as we're done.'

Merlin nodded and started to run down the corridor.

'What's he going to do exactly?' Arthur asked as they walked on.

'Let's just say that Jonas will have a very good night's sleep,' Alina replied.

They came into the courtyard and Alina pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, because the night's air was cool. Arthur himself shivered too. Alina led him to a small door across the courtyard that led to a small room where a lot of cleaning stuff was stored. It smelled of soap in there.

They took their positions at the window.

'What do we do now?'

'Now, we wait,' she said. 'We may have to sit here awhile, so I brought us something to eat and drink.' She reached for a somewhat higher shelf and took a small box, which contained fruit and two bottles of water.

'Water?' he asked disbelieving.

'If I give you cider you may believe that you dreamed it all,' she teased. 'No, we need clear heads tonight.'

He made himself comfortable, as far as comfortable went in such a tight space. 'What if the Lady Catrina is no other then a good noble lady?' he asked.

'Then I'll be the happiest person in the world and thank heaven that there is no truth in my accusations. Also, I'm probably stuck with you laughing at me for the next few months, but I'll live through that.'

Something in this speech made him curious. 'You want to be wrong about this? You don't want to be right?'

'Not in this case, no,' she replied. 'The only thing I really want is a safe Camelot. I'm so tired of all these attacks. I just want a nice time of peace and quiet. So, of course I would very much enjoy saying _I told you so_, but no, that's not the first priority.' She looked out of the window whilst saying this, pretending to keep a close eye on the castle's entrance, but Arthur could swear that she did not really see it.

'Camelot really is your first priority, isn't it?' he asked in a soft voice.

She shook her head. 'That's only second,' she said.

'Then what is…?'

'You,' she answered immediately and without hesitation.

He took her hand. 'Why?'

He saw how she forced her face back into a smile, but the solemn look did not quite leave her eyes, showing how much she meant what she just said. 'Because you are my future husband and I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.'

Arthur sensed that this was the truth, but also that there was more to this than she had said. 'That's not all there is, is it?'

She thought about that for a moment. 'I think you're destined to do great things. I believe that one day you'll make a magnificent king. If I can do anything to make sure that you will, then I feel that it is my duty to do so.'

Her sense of loyalty to him took him by surprise. Of course he knew that Merlin and Alina liked to talk about destiny when they thought he wasn't listening, but this was so much more than just words. She meant them.

'You expect too much of me, my lady,' he said.

A sweet smile appeared on her face. 'Oh no,' she said. 'I don't.' The look in her eyes was so confident that it was almost knowing.

Her unwavering faith in him reminded him again of why he loved her so much. He moved a little closer to her and he kissed her, unable to think of an answer that would convey everything he felt. So he chose the means of communication of which he knew that they would do it for him. A kiss could express so much more than words could ever do.

They only stopped kissing when Alina ended it reluctantly.

'Why are you stopping?' he whispered.

'Back to business,' his fiancée said. 'There she comes…'

* * *

**You'll have to wait till the day after tomorrow to find out what's happening next. I'll be out of town tomorrow with my family and I'll be nowhere near a computer for the entire day, so you'll have to have a little patience.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Yes, I know I said I wasn't going to update today, but the trip was delayed a little, so I have just enough time to post this before I leave. Enjoy reading and please, please review.**

* * *

**Chapter 32**

**Arthur**

Arthur unwillingly let go of Alina and glanced out the window. The Lady Catrina was leaving the castle, wearing a dark green cloak. She pulled the hood as far as possible over her head, as if to prevent people from recognizing her. Now why would she do that? Why would she leave the castle at this hour of night?

He knew the answer to this question before he could ask Alina. The answer was that a normal person would never do such a thing and a noblewoman like Lady Catrina most certainly had no business outside the castle so late in the evening. All of this confirmed what Alina and Merlin had told him.

Doubt gnawed at him as he watched the esteemed guest of the king cross the courtyard, walking as quickly as she could without attracting too much attention. He did not want to believe that the lady was not all that she seemed to be, but her suspicious behaviour made that difficult to believe.

'Where is she going?' he hissed.

'Where do you think?' she retorted.

In a flash he realised that he already believed she was right, that it was merely his own will that had kept him from admitting it, even to himself. He also could see what his disbelief meant to her. Even though she tried her hardest not to show any of it, there was disappointment and sadness in her eyes, which caused him to speak without thinking. 'I'm sorry, Alina.'

The smile that followed that sentence was so wide that it was as if he had given her a present. Maybe he had. It was so hard to tell with her.

'So, what do we do now?' he wondered. 'Maybe we should get back inside.'

'But we haven't seen anything!' she protested.

He shrugged. 'You've made your point, Alina. There is no more need to actually go and see for ourselves.'

She shook her head, laughing now. 'Not going to happen,' she told him. 'I'm not going back until I've seen the troll with my own eyes.'

'Why would we want to see a troll?' Arthur asked. 'It's not like they're the most beautiful creatures in existence.'

She snorted. 'Since when are you such an authority on trolls?'

'Gaius says…'

'You're scared, aren't you?' she suddenly exclaimed.

'Am not,' he protested. But deep down inside he knew that he was. He remembered Gaius telling Alina to tread with care, because if the beast saw them, they would probably not live to tell the tale. That did not sound like a tempting prospect at all.

She grinned at him, standing up. 'Who's afraid of the big bad troll?' she joked.

He could not let that get past him unanswered. 'I never said that I was, did I?'

She sighed in annoyance. 'Then don't be such a baby and come with me?' She cocked her head and looked at him begging.

'Fine!'

They took each other's hands again and walked across the courtyard, following the Lady Catrina. Arthur still called her that in his mind, because he had nothing else to call her. They descended a few steps. The further down they came, the worse the smell became.

'Ugh!' Arthur muttered.

Alina laid her finger to her lips and he fell silent. They walked as softly as they could, searching their way through the underground labyrinth. Arthur was not so sure it had been such a good idea to come down here. He had a feeling like the troll could appear out of nowhere somewhere behind them. That was not a nice feeling at all, but he did not tell this to Alina. He knew her well enough to know that she would not laugh at him for being afraid, but all the same, he could not stand the idea of his fiancée being braver than him.

They heard the troll before they saw her. They came into a corridor that was filled with the noise of someone snoring. Only it wasn't the kind of snore that a human could make. This was, there was no other word for it, disgusting.

'At least it's asleep,' Alina whispered.

The stench had almost become unbearable by now. Both of them had their hands in front of their faces to keep as much of it out, but it was a doomed mission.

A few meters further they came at the point where they could look into a small room and there the troll was lying. If Arthur hadn't known that the dress it wore belonged to the Lady Catrina, he might have believed that they were two different persons. But the beast wore the right clothes and the lady's cloak was thrown into a corner.

'God help us,' Alina whispered in shock.

Arthur could only stare at the monster that was sleeping only meters away from them. It was huge, grey, stinking and, last, but most certainly not least, ugly beyond words. This thing was the Lady Catrina? This thing was courting his father? He felt repulsed at the thought and he could understand perfectly why Merlin had looked so disgusted the night before. He was sure he wore the same expression right now.

'Let's get out of here,' Alina proposed.

'The sooner the better,' he agreed.

**Alina**

They gathered the following morning in Gaius' chambers: Merlin, Arthur, Gaius and Alina. The night before they had only seen Merlin to tell them that they had seen the troll and Merlin told them that Jonas had been sleeping all the time and that they had not been followed.

So now they sat together in the physician's quarters, discussing what to do.

'Trolls prefer to lurk in the darkness of their caves, feasting on rotten filth,' Gaius said.

'If that is the case,' Arthur wondered aloud. He was the only one standing in the room, arms folded over his chest, trying to look as disinterested as he possibly could. But Alina could tell that he was interested and that he wanted to do something, rather sooner than later, which might be another reason for standing. Camelot's prince had no intention to sit and talk about what needed doing. He wanted to do it. 'If that is the case, what's this one doing in Camelot?'

'Trolls are greedy,' Gaius explained. 'And Lady Catrina is like the rest of her kind. She lusts after wealth and power.'

'Uther's wealth and power, apparently,' Alina remarked. 'So, what are we going to do about her?'

Gaius stood up. 'We've reached the point of no return,' he announced. 'Uther has to be told.'

Even Arthur raised his eyebrows at that one. Everyone in the room could imagine Uther's reaction to such an announcement all too well and there was no question if he would take kindly to it, because he wouldn't.

'You're going to tell Uther that his new lady friend is a troll?' Merlin asked in a disbelieving voice.

'That's exactly what I'm going to do, Merlin.'

'Good luck,' Merlin said. From the way he spoke those words even a child could tell that he did not believe this mission would be a success. And he had every right to think that, because this was not going to work out, at all.

_Will it work?_ Merlin asked.

_Of course not_, she replied.

'Right,' Arthur said. 'What are we going to do?'

Alina walked over to another table, picking up a pile of books and carried them over to the main table. 'I've made a little trip to the library this morning. I think it is time that we learned something about trolls and their magic.' She had found those in some dark corner she had forgotten to look the first time. Most of those books looked like they were a load of rubbish, but they had to read to find out.

Arthur's jaw had dropped again. Alina noticed that was his way to react to things he did not expect. 'That'll take days to read.'

'We don't have that long,' she told him. 'And there's three of us, so let's get to it.'

They sat themselves down and took a book. Soon they were digging through a lot of mostly nonsense. Alina had a book on troll characteristics, but after a few pages she found out that most of it was based on myth instead of actual knowledge.

_Anything interesting?_ Merlin inquired.

_Whoever wrote this book seems to think that trolls are stupid and brown-skinned. He has obviously never encountered a real one._

_Same here_. He gave a mental sigh.

'Is your book anything more useful than this rubbish here, Arthur?' Alina asked. Her destiny had a constant frown on his forehead.

'It says here that trolls possess very powerful magic, that some of them are shape shifters and that it is almost impossible for a human to break one of their spells,' the prince summarized.

She stood up and walked over to his side of the table, bending over his shoulder to get a better look at his book. 'Let me look at that?' she asked.

He moved aside a little so she could sit down on his bench to get a closer look. 'Of course. Ehm, Merlin, why don't you run back to my quarters to fetch some parchment, quills and ink? We might need to write some things down.'

Merlin did not even look up from his book. 'Gaius has a whole lot of them in the cupboard over there.'

'Merlin,' the prince said in a urgent voice.

'Yes, sire?'

Arthur waited for Merlin to look at him and then made a wanna-be subtle nudge with his head to Alina and then at the door. Alina pretended she did not notice that, but she could not help but smiling a little. She remembered Arthur doing something like this at some other point in the show, but it was even more fun in real life.

_What does he want?_ Merlin asked confused.

_Time alone_, she replied. _He's doing a subtle attempt to get you out of the room so he can talk to me without anyone else listening in._

_Oh!_ The realisation of that translated onto his face. 'Right,' he said. 'Parchment. Your chambers. Yes, Gaius' won't do, not at all. I'll go get them immediately.' He got up so suddenly that he almost knocked over the table and then ran to the door, shutting it loudly behind him.

'You know that was not so subtle, right?' she smiled.

He shrugged. 'I'm working on it.'

Her smile widened into a grin. 'You'll need a lot of practise for that.'

He grinned back at her, a little sheepish.

'What was it that you wanted to say, Arthur?' she asked, getting back to business again.

He took a deep breath. 'I wanted to say that you never cease to amaze me and… I was wrong and you were right about the Lady Catrina.'

'You're not afraid I'm going to tell this to Merlin?' she teased.

He moved his face closer to hers and kissed her.

'Is that an answer to your question?' he wondered.

'That will do,' she judged. She smiled and then took the initiative to kiss him before he could get to her. She had never done this before, somehow, always waiting for him. There had always this sense of doubt, of this not being how it should be. She knew the legend too well to shove it aside without second thought. And how could she? She still relied on her knowledge so much. In her mind there always was this idea that it should not be her Arthur was kissing, even though she had accepted all of her destiny. Life here was very complicated.

They only stopped kissing when Merlin burst into the room. He took a moment to oversee the situation and then grinned in his very Merlinish way. _Oh, was I interrupting something?_

Arthur shot him a look that should have killed him instantly.

Merlin knew that look and now looked like he was desperate to escape. 'Ehm, I may have forgotten to bring some spare parchment. Maybe I should go back…'

Alina tried her hardest not to laugh. 'It's all right,' she assured him, even though Arthur's look was saying this was everything but all right, but luckily he did not speak up. 'Come over here, I think we have found something.'

'Are you sure?' he said. 'I can go back if you need me to…' His voice trailed off.

'Don't be ridiculous,' she told him. 'Here, there is this spell in this book, that would have the power to reveal Catrina for what she really is.'

Merlin came over to see. 'But we have no sorcerer at our disposal,' he pointed out. _Or at least not one that can risk using magic in front of the king and the entire court_, he added in his mind.

She grimaced. _If I'm going to change stuff around here, might as well add that to the list._

Merlin's eyes widened in disbelief. _You can't be serious!_ he mentally shouted.

_I wasn't going to use the words, just in my head. If you do the same, we might be able to achieve something._

Arthur, of course, had missed their entire conversation. 'We can't do that,' he told the pair of them. 'Magic is forbidden.'

'Really?' Alina asked in a sarcastic voice. 'Good you tell me. I may not have noticed before.'

'Alina…,' he started, until he realised she was just joking. 'Great.'

Merlin was about to say something when Gaius came in. The look on his face told them all something that they already suspected: that the talk with the king had completely and utterly failed.

Merlin was about to say something, but Gaius raised a hand and he changed his mind.

'Don't say anything, Merlin,' the old physician warned him.

Merlin smiled his most Merlinish smile. 'I wasn't going to say anything.' Even Arthur raised his eyebrows in disbelief. Alina could tell that he did not believe a single word of that sentence either.

'You were going to say _I told you so_,' Gaius said.

'Okay,' Merlin admitted. 'I was, but I'm not going to now.'

All of them sat themselves down to listen to Gaius' report of his chat with the king.

'Uther didn't take to it well,' Gaius said, shaking his head.

'Oh, you see, I told you…,' Merlin began, but when he saw Gaius' look he fell silent almost immediately. Arthur and Alina had trouble biting back their laughter, even though the whole situation was not funny at all.

'Sorry,' Merlin said, looking a little bit ashamed.

'I know him,' Gaius went on. 'He's a proud man, but he's not stupid. He will reflect on what I said, I'm sure he will.'

_Well, let's not wait for it_, Alina thought at Merlin. _The troll is bound to enchant Uther very soon, so we'll have to act quickly._

_How long do we have?_ Merlin asked, sounding a little alarmed by the urgent tone she had used.

_Till dinner and no later than that_, she replied. _That is, if I remember correctly._

_So, we're going to use magic at dinner?_

She sighed. _It's our only hope. Otherwise we're stuck with the monster for at least another few weeks and let's be honest, I'd rather save Uther the humility of being married to a woman with the body like a tree trunk._

_He is going to MARRY a troll?_

_Merlin, you're shouting_, she told him. _And he is not going to marry her, not if I have a say in it. So, how long do you think we need to learn that spell?_

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	33. Chapter 33

**Hello everyone. First, I wanted to say thanks for still reading this. I still think it's amazing that anyone is reading this at all, so thanks! Second, just the usual, read and review, please. Enjoy the chapter.**

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**Chapter 33**

**Alina**

Alina had been nervous before. In her own time she would get nervous over an important test or a formal occasion. Those worries seemed to be rather pathetic if you compared them to the things she had to worry about in Camelot, Uther finding out that she had magic only being one of them. Now her main concern was to reveal Catrina for the fraud that she was. She knew this plan had backfired spectacularly in the show, but, so she thought, maybe that had only been because it had only been one person casting the spell. If Merlin and she worked together, they might stand a chance. At least, that was what she told herself. She wanted to believe that this was going to work.

In her head she went over the entire plan again. She knew that Gaius had worked his hardest to plant the seed of doubt in Uther's heart, and if she remembered correctly, he would never be more willing to listen to reason than he was now.

She had worked Arthur out of the room as soon as Merlin and she had decided to give their magic a try. She could not have him around when they were busy practising. So she told him that he should go and train with his knights in order not to arouse suspicion. If the Lady Catrina caught as much as a whiff of that they were onto her, she might want to speed up her plans and that they really could not have right now.

She did not see Arthur until she was finished dressing and he knocked on her door to accompany her to dinner.

'Wow!' was the first thing he said when he saw her.

She chose to ignore that. 'Had a good day's training?' she asked in as light a voice as she could manage with all those nerves racing through her body.

He noticed that of course. He had become a great deal more observant over the last few months. She thought not that this had been the case in the show, but then, the show had been wrong on more than one point.

'What's wrong with you, my lady?' he asked in a worried voice.

'Merlin and I have found another way to unmask our dear guest, that just may work,' she replied. 'You see, we discovered that the Lady Catrina is no shape shifter herself, but that she needs a potion to remain in her human form. Well, Merlin stole the real potion and replaced it with a fake one, without the magic. So now we hope…' She let her voice trail off.

'That if she takes the fake potion, she will not be able to maintain her human form,' Arthur understood.

It had been a good idea to prepare him a little for what happened. It may have been suspicious if Catrina suddenly transformed back into the troll without any visible evidence to make that happen. Uther would obviously expect someone to have used magic. Now she had created the perfect excuse.

'Why are you so nervous, Alina?' Arthur asked. 'It sounds like the perfect plan.'

She sighed. 'You're forgetting something, Arthur.' She started to count the problems on her fingers. 'We don't know how often she needs to take that potion, so we do not know when she takes the fake one. For all we know it might take a week before she needs another dose. And that brings us to the second problem. Even if she drank it already, we have no way of knowing how long it will take to work. And even if this works, she has a considerable amount of magic herself, which may help to maintain her human form a little while longer, at least long enough till she is alone. Do you get the problem?'

He nodded thoughtfully. 'And Gaius' books are numb on the subject?'

'Completely,' she agreed. _The legend in my time, however, is not. _She admitted that she was guilty of stealing this idea from the show, but she needed a good excuse and this was one. Besides, if this plan failed, they could always try to carry it out anyway.

'Ugh,' Arthur muttered. 'I can't believe I'm about to dine with a troll and that I cannot drop one hint as to how much she disgusts me.'

'I know the feeling,' she said. 'But it would not do to poison her against us. She might decide to try and get rid of us before we're able to act. That is, if this plan fails.'

'Let's hope not, or I might have a troll for a stepmother.'

She poked him teasingly. 'Who knows? She might even turn out to have a good influence on you.'

They both laughed when they entered the dining hall. Uther greeted them, apparently in high spirits, before looking at the Lady Catrina again. _With any luck, she will not be that for long anymore_, Alina thought.

Merlin and Gwen were the ones to wait on them that evening. Merlin looked even more nervous than her, which resulted in being even more clumsy than usual.

_Get a grip!_ Alina ordered. _I can't do this without you and if you carry on like this, Uther will kick you out himself. Breathe deeply. Yes, and now again._

_Are you sure that this will even work?_ Doubt was too obvious to miss.

_Of course_, she lied, deciding that telling him the truth was not really the best option under the given circumstances, so she lied. This made her feel slightly uncomfortable. She hated people who were not truthful, and now she was so herself on a very regular basis.

She was distracted when she got a closer look of the Lady Catrina, who was wearing the necklace with the love enchantment. Crap, this must be the dinner that she would enchant the king.

_Right,_ she thought at Merlin. _We need to act before she gives that thing to Uther, understand?_

He had noticed the sharp edge to her mental voice. _What's going on?_

_Well, let's just say that from the moment he wears that, he will be blind to reason and then we will have a troll for queen within a matter of days._

_Right, what do we do?_

_We act. Now._

Lady Catrina had taken her seat at Uther's left hand. She moved her food around her plate a lot, but never ate of it. Of course not, she preferred rotten fruit and dung to normal human food. She conversed easily with Morgana, who was unaware of the events going on around her. Maybe it would have been a good idea to fill her in on the details, Alina pondered. Maybe saving Camelot and Uther from danger would bind her closer to both of them, preventing her from turning to the side of evil.

_Now?_ Merlin asked.

_Now_, she confirmed. Then she half closed her eyes, whilst sipping from her water and then began the incantation. Because she kept contact with Merlin over the mind link, she knew he was doing the same. All her will, determination and power she poured into that one spell. This had to work, she told herself.

Her concentration broke when Arthur poked her and hissed: 'Look, something's happening.'

She allowed herself one quick glance and learned that the Lady Catrina's features were blurring, twisting and then fixed back into place. But none of the persons present had missed this.

Uther had backed away, looking horror-struck. 'What's happening to you, my lady?' he asked in an almost panicking voice.

Great, he did not think this had something to do with the lady herself. He thought someone was doing this to her. That they could not have. She doubled her efforts, giving it her all.

'I don't know, my lord,' the lady replied. But it was no longer the lady's voice that answered, it was the troll's. Morgana sprang up and backed away as well, as if she was afraid that she might catch whatever ailed the woman next to her.

Lady Catrina realised only a second too late that she had spoken in the wrong voice. When she did, she looked around her in shock, scanning the people in the room to find out who was responsible for this.

Realising that she was going to get caught anyway, because she had remained a little too calm throughout this whole affair, Alina smiled at her. 'I think this is what happens when you accidentally take the wrong potion, my lady,' she said in a sweet voice. 'You know which one. The one _without_ the magic.'

Since all the attention now focused on her, she could no longer help Merlin in casting the spell. She could, however, send him some of her own strength over the mind link, another trick they had discovered lately, almost by accident. This trick now gave Merlin's spell not only his own power, but also a reasonable amount of hers and this proved almost just as effective as when she would have worked the magic herself.

The Lady Catrina's face started to change again and this time the change appeared to be permanent. Alina could see and feel her fighting against it, but it was a fight she was doomed to lose. Even if she had been capable of fighting the enchantment off, there was no way anyone who had witnessed this, would ever forget it. The damage had already been done.

Lady Catrina's face blurred again, changing rapidly now. Her skin became a foul kind of grey, her hair turned a lighter shade of grey. Warts appeared on the skin, teeth became fangs.

Morgana and Uther still did not know what happened here.

'What's happening! Will somebody just help her?' Morgana shouted.

Arthur had surrendered to fits of laughter and even Merlin's expression could be described as smug. They did it. She could feel that the spell had taken hold of the so-called lady and that there was no stopping it now, not with all the troll-magic in the world. Alina could not help but smirk.

'Don't worry, Morgana,' she told her friend. 'We merely see Lady Catrina now for the beauty that she really is.' She really shouldn't be enjoying herself now, she really shouldn't. But feelings were strange things and she could not possibly control them. The satisfaction of having changed legend again, even though this was not such a big change in the long run, took over completely. If she could achieve this, she could do anything.

The fun ended abruptly when the troll's smell started to dominate the room. She covered her mouth and nose immediately, but that of course was not enough to block the stench out. Arthur looked like he was about to vomit any minute now.

The change ended as suddenly as it had started. In front of them stood a giant, grey, stinking troll.

'You're a troll!' Uther called out.

Alina had not looked at Uther until now, too preoccupied with the monstrous transformation that was taking place in front of her, but now she allowed herself a quick glance at the king. Uther looked positively disgusted as he looked at the woman who he had adored, maybe even kissed only minutes ago. She could see that this realisation had also dawned on him, for suddenly he looked even more repulsed than before.

'I don't believe it,' Morgana whispered.

The troll was still a little confused as well as how this could have happened, but she recovered quickly. She took the necklace off and swung it at the king, apparently trying to get it around his neck in a last attempt to save her plan.

She had not anticipated Arthur's speed of reaction. The prince had taken his knife and threw it at the necklace, hitting it in mid-air, causing both knife and necklace to fall to the ground. The big red jewel in the middle of it shattered into a thousand pieces, the strange red glow disappearing from it as it collided with the stone floor.

'Oh, so sorry,' Arthur said in a sarcastic voice.

This seemed to have woken Uther up. 'What kind of trickery is this?' he exclaimed.

Alina took it upon herself to answer that question. 'Well, Merlin may have replaced the real potion with a fake one,' she said in an innocent voice. 'Therefore it could happen that she returned to her true form. Not as desirable as her human form, I admit, but…' She let her voice trail off.

'How I have suffered these last few days,' the troll grunted. 'Allowing you to _touch_ me.' It was kind of funny to see the troll and Uther looking equally disgusted. 'It's repulsive.'

Uther backed away. 'I know the feeling,' he said.

Across the room Merlin had trouble keeping himself from laughing out loud. Arthur was less successful, chuckling from behind his hands. Alina herself was amused, but she was also searching for any signs that the troll was going to get violent.

The troll did one step forward.

'Guards!' Uther shouted. 'Seize… it!'

The troll did not wait for the guards. With a speed that no one would have believed possible for such a huge monster, it fled from the room, ripping the door from its hinges in the process. It glanced back maliciously one last time at the people in the room and then was gone.

_Oh dear_, Alina thought as a shiver went down her spine.

**Merlin**

'So, what now?' Alina wondered aloud.

They had all convened in Arthur's chambers to discuss what had to happen now. Gwen had escorted the king back to his room, assisted by Gaius. The king was now asleep, recovering from the shock he had been given by his not-so-nice new lady friend. Merlin had the idea that the relationship was considered over and done now.

'What has exactly happened?' Morgana demanded. 'You have told me nothing, Arthur!'

The king's ward had wanted to be involved, hence her presence at this council.

Merlin told her in a summarized form what happened, leaving the parts where magic was concerned out of it, instead sticking with Alina's cover story of the switched potions.

'That was a brave thing to do, Merlin,' Morgana complimented Merlin. He could not help but blush a little at her praise.

_Get a grip, Merlin_, Alina thought a little annoyed.

'The troll has not left the castle,' Arthur stated. That got everyone's attention back to business.

'Are we sure of that?' Alina asked.

The hours following the troll's escape had been a perfect mess. Everyone had been hunting for the monster, which had resulted in chaos in the streets of the city and almost no guard who had remained at his post. In all that it would not have been too hard to slip out of the gates unnoticed.

'The guards on the outer gates remained at their posts,' Arthur replied. 'I spoke with all of them. None of them has seen her. They have let nobody out after the warning bells started tolling.'

'She could not have gotten to the gates before that,' Merlin pointed out.

Arthur nodded. 'She must still be in Camelot.'

_Do you know where she went?_ Merlin asked Alina. _I mean, you're supposed to know what happens around here._

_I used to_, she corrected. _But now I've changed legend, so I have no idea where she is or what's going to happen, only that it is most likely that she is not going to throw us a nice surprise party for exposing her. She looked rather angry._

That distracted him for a little while. _Wait a minute, you said that you knew the spell was going to work!_

_I lied,_ she confessed_. In the story it doesn't, but I think that is because that was only you that did it then. But we worked together and that's why it did work. She could not fight us both off._

_You LIED?_

_You're screaming again._

Merlin was mentally flabbergasted. His best friend had lied to him. Why would she do that? Did she not trust him? Was that the problem?

_I only did it because I did not want to undermine your confidence in your powers. You had to believe that you could do it and me telling you that this was maybe not going to work did not seem like the best idea at the time_, she explained. _I am sorry, though. I should have told you the truth. If I promise not to do it again, will you please forgive me?_

When she explained it like that, it made sense why she had not told him and he could not remain angry with her, not when she meant well. He smiled reassuringly at her. _Of course_.

They turned their attention back at the conversation. Morgana and Arthur had not noticed that Merlin and Alina had a conversation of their own and were still discussing the whereabouts of the escaped Lady Catrina.

'So, where could she be?' Morgana wondered.

The idea struck him then. There was only one place that was logical for a troll to hide. 'Where would you hide if you were a troll, Morgana?' he asked.

'I don't know that, do I?' she snapped. 'Since I am not a troll.'

'Well…,' Arthur started teasingly, but he decided not to finish that sentence when he saw Morgana's furious look.

Merlin could see that Alina and Arthur had gotten the meaning of his words. 'Trolls like to lurk in their caves, feasting on rotten fruit,' Arthur pondered. 'Do you mean…?'

He nodded fiercely. 'She doesn't know that we followed her there and normally it would be the last place you would start looking, wouldn't it?'

'That is not a totally stupid idea,' Arthur admitted.

'So, what do we do now?' Alina wondered.

Merlin and Arthur exchanged a quick glance. For the first time in ages they were completely in agreement.

'I'd say we're going to hunt a troll,' the Once and Future King said.

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	34. Chapter 34

**Wow, I can't believe this already is chapter 34. Well, just read and review and hopefully you will enjoy it.**

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**Chapter 34**

**Merlin**

They went down to the entrance of the caves, telling no one where they were going. Arthur had suggested they take the guards with them, but Alina had turned that down, remarking how the guards were not around most of the times they had to deal with dangerous creatures and were no use at all the other half. Besides, they would only get in their way. Arthur could say very little to deny that, so he went with it.

Merlin knew there was another reason for not calling in the help of the guards, which had more to do with three people in the company having magic. The more guards went with them, the more people there were to notice.

'Let's split up,' Morgana suggested. 'Merlin and Arthur can go together and then I'll go with Alina.'

Alina and Merlin both nodded. This way both teams had one trained magician with them to help.

Arthur looked disapproving. 'I don't like the idea of the two girls going off on their own,' he said.

'Why, we both can give you a good kick in the backside,' Morgana said. 'It's not like we need you to take care of us.'

'More like the other way round,' Alina added. 'And seen as most of us prefer this way of doing it, I take it that's how we're going to do it.'

'But…,' Arthur started to protest.

Alina gave him her sweetest smile. 'It's called democracy, Arthur,' she explained. 'The majority gets their way.'

'Fine!' Arthur snapped.

The girls went left, the boys went right. Arthur was holding the sword, while Merlin held the torch.

'Wouldn't it be better to let me have a sword as well?' Merlin wondered.

'You couldn't handle a sword to save your life, Merlin,' Arthur said.

The young warlock had to admit that he had a point there. And there was no need why he should have a sword. He was more than capable of defending himself without a piece of steel. He remembered the conversation he had when he had just met Arthur, when he told him he could take the arrogant prince apart with less than one blow. He knew how true that was. But then, this was a troll. He had felt the strength of her magic. Without Alina's help he would never have been able to make the spell of revelation work. She was that powerful, so in that case he much rather had something else beside his magic to take her with. It gave him a sense of safety.

Arthur moved through the corridors like a hunter, with stealth and speed, concentrated on nothing but the hunt. Merlin had seen him like this countless times, although on most of those occasions, they were somewhere in the woods, tracking down some defenceless animal. The Lady Catrina was in no way defenceless. Merlin kept glancing over his shoulders to see if she was sneaking up on them.

'Don't be such a girl, Merlin,' Arthur said in an angry hiss after he saw Merlin do it for the tenth time in a minute. 'You're making me edgy.'

'Just wanted to make sure that we weren't attacked from behind,' the warlock explained.

Arthur just snorted and walked on. 'We'll probably smell her coming before she comes within hitting range, Merlin.'

**Alina**

'You used magic to reveal the troll, didn't you?' Morgana asked when they were out of earshot.

Alina nodded, though it did not feel fair to take all the credit when Merlin really had been doing most of the work. 'Of course I did. There was no other way to do it. Troll magic is very powerful. It's not easy to break one of their spells.'

'But not impossible,' Morgana pressed.

'Not impossible,' she confirmed.

'I wish I was able to perform such magic,' the king's ward muttered. 'Couldn't you teach me, Alina?'

Alina could not help but smile. Morgana wanted to use her magic for the good of Camelot. That was something she had never even dreamed of achieving. This was so much better than the original legend. Could it truly be that it was within her powers to change Morgana's destiny?

'I would like to,' she answered. 'We'd have to do it somewhere private, where we could not get caught.'

'Well, once this place is troll-free once more,' Morgana suggested. 'This would be the perfect hide-out.'

'We'd have to find a stench-free corner first,' Alina pondered. 'I'm not going to sit in all that smell all day.'

'Don't you know a spell to clean the air?' Morgana wondered.

'Not yet, but that's what magic books are for.' Morgana's enthusiasm was contagious. She was already planning lessons and spells she could teach her friend.

'You're planning on fighting the Lady Catrina with magic, aren't you?' Morgana asked. 'That's why you didn't want Arthur with you. So that you could use your powers to finish the monster without anyone noticing.'

'Caught me,' she confessed. 'But really, Merlin and you already know, so I would not mind having Merlin with me either. I'm just not so sure about Arthur's reaction when he finds out about me.'

Morgana thought on this a while. 'Are you not scared?' she then asked.

'Scared?' Alina repeated, not understanding. 'What of?'

'Of Uther finding out? Of getting executed, just because of who you are?' she clarified.

'You are, aren't you?'

She nodded. 'Of course I am. I would be a fool not to. So, are you?'

She took a deep breath. 'Well, sometimes I am,' she explained. 'But most of the time I'm just too busy to save Arthur, Uther, Camelot or all three of them to stop and think on that. Just now I've been too preoccupied with saving Uther from a most humiliating marriage. I know that who I am can get me killed any day, but I guess I'm just trying my hardest not to think about it, because if I did, I'd be too afraid to move a finger and that would be most inconvenient for Camelot.'

'You save a king who would kill you as soon as he found out what you've been doing for him?' Morgana asked, disbelieving.

'To tell you the truth, I've never thought of it like that,' she admitted. 'Don't get me wrong, I'm not Uther's biggest fan. I think that Arthur would, in time, make for a better king, but since he isn't ready yet…' She shrugged. 'I guess we will have to keep Uther alive a few years longer.'

She had always known that this question would arise sooner or later. In her head and heart she had known that she should do what Merlin did, no matter what the cost, but that did not mean that she could not have a healthy dose of fear for Camelot's magic-hating king. She might have had that in the first few weeks and months of her being here, but then, the king had been so kind, so welcoming to her, liking her even. All right, he only did that because he had no idea that she possessed the gift he so despised. But she could not bring herself to fear or hate the man who had become almost a father to her. This had been the last thing she had expected to feel, but she simply did and she had to deal with it.

'How much do you fear him, Morgana?' she asked in a soft voice, moving the subject to a more pressing matter.

'Very much,' the young woman confessed in a whisper. 'Sometimes I can hardly breathe in his presence, so afraid that he will one day discover who I really am and that he will have me burned at the stake.'

She laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. 'You know he would never do that to you, Morgana,' she told the witch. 'Even if he were to learn about your powers, I don't believe he would ever find it in himself to have you executed. Banished, maybe, but never killed.'

Morgana snorted. 'His hatred for magic runs deeper than his love for me.'

'I would not be so sure of that if I were you.'

Alina would never confess how much this fear for Uther worried her. Fear could so easily turn to hate and all the legends agreed on this: Morgana would become the greatest threat Camelot would have to face. She made a note to herself to ask the dragon about Morgana's destiny. Maybe in this version of legend it would not be Morgana's destiny to bring down the kingdom, trying to claim the throne for herself.

Morgana changed the subject again. 'Is there anything I can do if we run into the troll, other than swinging my sword at it?'

'Well, there is a spell that you may be able to use and it would indeed be more effective if we both cast it,' she replied.

'Is it difficult?'

Alina shrugged. 'I'm not sure. I mastered it at my third try. I don't know if that is good or bad or how others manage it. I've never actually met a sorcerer who was _not_ trying to undermine or destroy Camelot.'

'There are much of those?'

'More than I would like,' Alina admitted. 'But the spell I was referring to is a simple one. You just hold out you hand and you say _Astrice_.'

'What's it supposed to do?'

'If all goes well she is thrown backwards, unconscious if we do _really_ well. When that is the case we can finish her off easily. I think you can…'

She stopped in mid-sentence. A familiar smell penetrated their noses. They looked at each other in shock, but that was only for a moment. Next moment Morgana had thrown the torch onto the ground, drawing her sword. Both the women held their backs turned at the wall, glancing left and right to search for the troll.

They did not have to wait for long. The stench intensified in tenfold and there she was, the so-called Lady Catrina. She was still dressed in the dress she had worn at dinner, but it was not as clean anymore. Alina strongly suspected the beast to have very recently consumed a portion of dung. Her stomach almost turned.

'You think you can defeat me?' the troll croaked. She moved a little closer and Alina had to suppress the urge to cover her nose.

'Not really,' she tried to joke. 'But it's fun trying.'

As the Lady Catrina moved another step closer, she sent out a silent alarm call to Merlin. _Help us!_ she thought at him with as much force as she could possibly muster. _She's here, she's found us!_

**Merlin**

Alina's urgent call stopped him. The force of it almost had him stumbling backwards. Arthur looked back at him in annoyance. 'Hurry up, _Mer_lin!' the prince snapped. 'We don't have all day!'

_Hurry up, Merlin!_ Alina's mental voice shouted in panic. _I don't think I can take her on my own!_

How could he tell Arthur what Alina had said? The prince was not aware of the way he conversed with the princess. But then, he had always been resourceful when it came to thinking up excuses and his brain did not fail him this time.

'Didn't you hear that?' he asked, pretending to listen at noises that came from behind him.

Arthur looked confused. 'Hear what?'

'I thought I heard Alina screaming.'

That gained him Arthur's immediate attention. When it came to his bride-to-be the prince seemed to have no reservations. He would do anything for her.

'Where?' he demanded.

He feigned uncertainty, beckoning to a point somewhere behind them. 'There. I think it is some levels lower, too.'

With an impatient move Arthur shoved him aside. 'Then what are you waiting for, _Mer_lin?' he snapped. He was already running before Merlin had realised what he was doing. The young warlock caught up with him easily enough. Running from fights and hurrying to get Arthur's armour from one side of the castle to the other in time had gained him an almost better condition than his master.

He used the mental connection to locate Alina and Morgana. This connection could be closed off, but Alina had held it open, so he could find her, even though she had no time to answer him when he talked to her. He sensed all her attention was focused on keeping the Lady Catrina at a safe distance. Her magic appeared to work, but the troll was tough and her spells did not have the desired effect. There was a panicked edge to her thoughts.

Arthur followed Merlin, luckily without asking all kinds of awkward questions about how he knew where to go. He would have played the hesitant servant if the situation was not so serious, every now and then hesitating at crossroads. But as it was, he did not have the time for that, so he ran in the right direction, with Arthur following closely behind.

They heard the sounds of battle and smelled the troll's not so nice scent before they saw it all. They came around the last corner, just in time to see the troll deal a blow to Alina, which sent her flying backwards, crashing into the wall with considerable force.

'No!' Arthur roared when Alina did not get up.

That got him the attention of the monster, who turned to face this new threat.

'Get. Away. From. Her,' Arthur growled.

The beast simply cackled. It made Merlin feel more than uncomfortable. It sent them the message that the beast was not in the least bit afraid of them and, in fact, quite confident that it could finish them all off without too much effort.

'I'll give you one last warning,' Arthur threatened.

Merlin sprinted past the beast, running to Alina to check up on her. Morgana already had bended down, examining a bloody wound at her head.

'I'm fine,' the princess said feebly, the tone belying the words. 'Keep Arthur safe.'

'You're not fine,' Morgana disagreed.

Arthur swung his sword at the beast, almost challenging it to attack, which it most happily did. Merlin could tell that the prince's main focus was to get it away from all of them. He succeeded on that account. The troll may be smart, but it was obvious that its main focus was to get to the prince. Alina was not its priority. Merlin suspected that it had come to Camelot with the final goal of killing both the remaining Pendragons to take over the throne after their demise. Apparently it had not yet given up on that goal, although it was forced to approach the matter a little different now.

Alina gave him a soft push. 'Go help Arthur,' she told him. 'I'll manage.'

'You're injured,' he protested.

'I'm just dizzy, that's all. Now go, both of you.'

Before either of them could make a move, Arthur received a blow almost identical to the one which Alina had received. He hit the wall rather hard, moaning before apparently losing consciousness. It was difficult to tell from that distance and with so little light.

'Do it, Morgana,' Alina urged the young witch.

Morgana got to her feet, a determined look on her face. 'Leave him alone,' she said in a cold voice, as the troll moved closer to Arthur to kill him.

This had the beast laughing again. 'Don't involve yourself, girl,' it cackled. 'You could get hurt.'

'So could you,' the king's ward said, using the words Merlin remembered from their conversation before facing the afanc. 'If you don't get out of my way.'

The only reaction to this speech was another cackle from the monster.

Morgana's face darkened, almost as if a shadow moved over it. She almost threw her hand forward. '_Astrice_!' she screamed on top of her lungs. Merlin felt a wind of power rushing past him, crashing into the Lady Catrina. The beast was blown off its feet, lifted off the ground and thrown backwards with such force as Merlin had never witnessed before. As the enormous body of the troll collided with the stone wall they all heard the sound of its neck breaking like a twig. It farted one more time and then in collapsed onto the ground, as dead as a doornail.

For a few moments it was perfectly silent. Merlin could only stare at the black-haired girl who was looking in wonder at the lifeless body of the monster, unable to grasp the true meaning of what she had just done. Merlin had trouble understanding that, too. He knew she had powers, but he had not believed them to be so great. But from the looks of it, her powers could rival his own.

The silence was broken by Alina. She smiled at Morgana. 'I always knew you had it in you,' she said.

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**Well, that's the last of the troll-tale. Tomorrow we will start with my version of the Witchfinder's visit…**


	35. Chapter 35

**Hello everyone, please read and (please, please) review! Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 35**

**Alina**

The following weeks went by in a rush of preparations for the upcoming wedding. The year had gone by extremely fast, Alina pondered as she was walking with Morgana to the castle. The two of them had been practising their magic on a very regular basis ever since Alina was allowed out of bed. She had a slight concussion and a sprained ankle as souvenirs from her encounter with the troll, but nothing else. She had been extremely lucky, Gaius told her.

Arthur had been less fortunate. The prince was stuck with a heavy concussion and a few broken ribs. It had not been until a few days ago that Gaius had given him permission to leave his room. Arthur had hit the wall and ground from just the wrong angle and had been unconscious for two full days before finally waking up.

But the troll incident was more than five weeks behind them now and life had gone more or less back to normal, as far as normal went in Camelot. She somehow doubted the possibility of having a normal life here. There always seemed to be something happening.

'When is Connor expected to arrive?' Morgana asked.

'According to his letter he should be here in about two weeks' time,' Alina replied. 'I'm really looking forward to seeing him again.'

'He's a nice man,' the young witch agreed.

'Your type, Morgana?' she teased.

'Please!' she exclaimed. 'I don't think I've met any man so far who I would like to get to know better. They're either stupid or boring.'

'Don't you think that's a little harsh?' Alina asked. 'I think I know a few exceptions. Arthur's not all bad and I daresay that Merlin is a very nice guy.' She studied her friend's expression closely at the mentioning of Merlin's name and was rewarded for her efforts with the smallest of blushes. 'See, he's struck a chord with you!' she laughed.

'Not true,' Morgana protested half-heartedly.

'Lying has never been your strong point, Morgana,' she said. 'Besides, I know Merlin also has feelings for you,' she added as an afterthought.

Morgana turned bright red.

'See, you _do_ like him,' she concluded. 'You should spend more time together.'

'I can't,' Morgana replied. 'He's a serving boy. Uther would never allow it.'

Alina shrugged. 'Did I miss the part where anyone said that Uther should be told?'

'Right,' Morgana said. 'I think we should change the subject.' She took that task upon her immediately. 'What do you think of my progress in using magic?'

Alina laughed at the really too obvious try to talk about something less embarrassing, but went with it. 'You're doing well,' she replied. 'Really well. You're very talented, Morgana. With the right amount of training you may even prove more powerful than me.' Of that she had no doubt. She had seen how easily she had dealt with the troll. A normal sorceress would never have been able to do that, not at her first try. She had not told Morgana that, though. The king's ward was still a little scared of her gifts and used them almost reluctantly, afraid that anyone might see. The defeating of the troll had been the exception.

They stopped talking immediately when a guard approached them. It would not do to get caught discussing their progression in the use of a banned gift.

The man bowed before addressing them. 'The king requests your presence in the throne room as a matter of urgency, my ladies.'

'We will be there shortly,' Morgana replied and the guard bowed again, leaving.

'Any idea as to what can be so important?' the young witch asked when he was out of earshot.

Alina shrugged. 'I know as much as you. Maybe even less. Have you had any nightmares recently?'

'Only one,' Morgana said. 'Something about a man in dark clothing with torture devices. I've never seen him before and it were only flashes.' Now it was her turn to shrug. 'I didn't think it was important.'

'You didn't think it was important or you were you too scared to talk about it?' the princess asked sharply. She knew of only one man who answered to the description and he was supposed to appear on legend's stage after the incident with the troll. The Witchfinder, Aredian. A shiver went down her spine. She thought she might know the purpose of the gathering in the throne room after all. _Merlin, what have you done?_

Morgana had missed all this. She smiled sheepishly. 'The last one,' she confessed.

'You should have talked about it,' Alina said.

'I don't know why I didn't. Guess it's still strange to know someone who actually believes that they are no mere nightmares.'

They entered the throne room, where all the court was already assembled. They walked over to their places quickly. As she went to sit down in her chair, Arthur came to stand behind her.

Her eyes focused on the peasant woman before the throne. Every fibre of her being radiated fear. Maybe she was a little scared of the king, but Alina did not believe this was the case. She recognized this woman from the series. It was the woman who told the king that she had seen smoke coming alive.

As soon as she realised this, her gaze focused on Merlin, who was standing a little behind Gaius, looking very guilty, avoiding her gaze.

_What have you done, Merlin?_ she mentally snapped at her best friend.

_I did a little trick. I thought I was alone. I could not have known there was someone watching, now, could I?_

_You couldn't, but I could_, she growled. _So, congratulations, you've just made sure we enter another big event. And may I add that just might have been one we could have avoided had you not been so STUPID!_

He finally looked at her, his eyes full of confusion. _Why are you so angry with me, Alina?_

_You'll find out soon enough._

She turned her attention towards the woman's account of what happened, leaving Merlin to decipher the meaning of that.

'It was sorcery you saw, you're certain of it?' Uther asked in his most kingly voice.

The woman, although trembling in fear, nodded. 'Yes, sire.'

'And you swear this before your king?' Uther said.

Alina got a feeling that he much rather would not believe a word of what the woman said. Camelot's king was scared of magic more than he was of anything else and this piece of sorcery had been performed almost within sight of the castle. Leave it to Merlin to do something that stupid, she thought. Most of the time he was a clever young man, but sometimes it was so easy to see why Arthur called him an idiot so often. Even a child would have known how stupid it was to do magic like that.

'I swear it,' the woman insisted.

'Perhaps your eyes deceived you?' Arthur suggested. 'Perhaps it was only a trick of the light.'

The peasant woman shook her head fiercely. 'The smoke was alive, I tell you. I feared for my life!'

She looked like she still did that. She was genuinely afraid, Alina could tell that much, but she could not understand how a reasonable person could get scared out of their wits by a shape in the smoke. It seemed to be a little overdone. Maybe she was a very superstitious woman.

'I thank you for bringing this to my attention,' the king spoke in what was supposed to be a friendly, reassuring voice. He failed on that one because he was not at ease. 'Your loyalty will not go unrewarded.'

'Thank you, sire,' she said. After that, she was led away by a guard.

'This cannot continue,' the king said.

'I will hunt down those responsible, father,' Arthur immediately replied, thinking that this was, as always, expected from him. 'I promise they will not escape unpunished.'

Alina knew that this was not going to be enough. Uther would want for more force to root out magic in his kingdom for once and for all. She knew what he was going to say next and for the first time ever, she felt fear. For the first time she saw the king as Morgana saw him: as a man who would have her executed as soon as he found out about her. This realisation left her ice-cold, shivers running down her spine uncontrollably.

Aredian may be a fraud, but he was not, unlike so many others, stupid. If he could sense there was something not right about Merlin and Morgana, he might suspect her as well. This knowledge was so _not_ helping in calming herself.

'No,' Uther declined. 'Stronger methods are called for. Send for the Witchfinder.'

Alina thought her heart was going to stop beating. He did it. He had spoken the words. This was really going to happen and there was nothing, nothing she could do to stop it.

Gaius stepped forward. 'Sire!' he said. 'Is it necessary to resort to such measures?'

'The Witchfinder is a trusted ally, Gaius,' the king all but snapped. 'His help will be invaluable.'

'Of course,' Gaius said, not sounding convinced.

Alina was not convinced either. If the Witchfinder was only half as scary as he had been in the show, he was the stuff of nightmares. She would have to tread with extra care in the days that followed, hoping and praying that she just might make it through unscathed.

**Merlin**

'How many times, Merlin, how many times must I drive it into that thick skull of yours?' Gaius yelled on top of his lungs as they entered his chambers. 'Your magic is a secret to be guarded with your life?'

_If you shout that a little louder, Uther might hear that as well. Would save him the trouble of sending for that so-called Witchfinder._

Merlin did not think very much of people who were supposedly good at detecting magic. Even sorcerers had trouble recognizing him for what he really was, so he strongly doubted this Witchfinder's ability to discover his magic.

But then, Alina had been practically panicking back in the throne room. She had even been shouting at him, something she did not normally do, save when she was really frightened. And now there was Gaius, shouting at him, too. He got a feeling that maybe this time it may be a little different from the other times.

'What were you thinking?' Gaius went on.

'I… eh… I wasn't thinking,' he confessed. Honestly, he had just wanted to have some fun and since no one was anywhere near him and the chances of getting caught were less than slim, he had just done a little trick Alina and he had been practising a few weeks ago. It wasn't until it was too late that he had realised that this was not such a good idea as it had seemed.

'Well, think boy!' Gaius shouted. '_Think_!'

Merlin felt he had to defend himself a little after all that shouting. 'It was just a bit of fun!'

'It was magic and it was seen,' Gaius retorted.

Merlin had to admit he had a point there. This called for a certain answer. 'You're right. I'm sorry.'

'You must hide the book,' Gaius ordered. 'Anything that can connect you to sorcery in any way.'

Merlin nodded, thinking on that one. Gaius made it sound like this Witchfinder was going to search everyone's chambers in search of evidence. Maybe he was. Merlin could not tell. But then, Arthur had once searched his chambers and found nothing, even though his magic book was lying on the floor.

He became aware of Gaius looking at him. 'What, now?' he asked. That Witchfinder wasn't even close to Camelot yet. He still had plenty of time.

'Yes, now, Merlin,' Gaius said. 'The man that Uther has sent for, I know him.' Somehow it didn't sound like they were friends. He therefore doubted this acquaintance would be a good thing.

'The Witchfinder?' he checked.

'Some know him by that name,' Gaius replied. 'I know him as Aredian. He is a force to be reckoned with.'

Merlin had already that impression, given to him by Alina almost freaking out at Uther's announcement. But still, it could not be that bad, could it? 'But I'm not a witch,' Merlin pointed out. 'Look, no dress or anything.' He smiled at his mentor.

Gaius did not look like he thought this was funny.

'I'll get the book,' he said before Gaius could get angry.

* * *

The Witchfinder did not show up until two days after that. Merlin, Morgana and Alina had been busy to hide away anything that could connect either of them as a sorcerer. Morgana had thought that Merlin was just helping out, not aware that he, in fact, possessed magic too. Sometimes he wished he could just tell Morgana that he had, but the few times he had brought the subject up, Alina had almost freaked out. He had tried to get her to share some of her knowledge, but she had been silent as the grave, simply refusing to answer. The best thing he had gotten was a mental _you'll see someday_.

The books and other magical things were now safely hidden in a cupboard in Alina's room. This did not sound safe, but, in fact, it was. This cupboard happened to have a magical door in the back of it. It could only be found and opened by those who had permission to do so. People who were not allowed to find it, could not even see it. It had taken Merlin and Alina a day to make it work, but, in the end they had managed it. Now only the three of them knew of its existence.

It was the evening of the second day and they were checking Morgana's chambers for the last time. They might as well have saved themselves the trouble. There was no evidence to be found anymore. Everything was safe under lock and key and it would remain that way until this Witchfinder had left Camelot.

'Well, I think that's all of it,' Merlin said, stretching his back.

Morgana had walked over to the window. Suddenly she gasped, gaining her both Alina's and Merlin's immediate attention. They were with her in a second.

'What's wrong?' Merlin asked, laying a hand on her shoulder.

Alina peeked over Morgana's other shoulder. 'Look!' she said.

And Merlin looked. In the courtyard stood a man, with a carriage behind him. It was no ordinary carriage, for it had a cage on it, containing all kinds of torture devices.

'Is that him?' Merlin whispered, although he could not explain why he whispered. It was not like the man could hear him from where he stood. 'The man of your nightmares?'

'Yes,' Morgana spoke even softer. Merlin could tell that she was too afraid to say more, the fear nearly choking her.

'What's that cage for?' he wondered.

The question was meant for Alina, but it was Morgana that answered. 'It hardly bears thinking about,' she replied.

Merlin grabbed her hand to comfort her and she smiled at him. A sad, frightened smile it was, but a smile nonetheless. It almost made him forget how serious the situation was.

Alina's gaze was still locked on the Witchfinder. It was as if he could feel the stare, for he looked up, watching all of them. Morgana automatically backed away. Alina stopped her.

'Don't,' she said. 'It'll only make you look suspicious.'

She gave the good example herself by keeping her eyes on the man, even smiling politely when she saw him watching her. The Witchfinder's eyes quickly moved on to Merlin and Morgana. Later Merlin could not tell which colour they had, he would only remember the coldness of them. And he recalled Gaius's words: _he is a force to be reckoned with_. He may have doubted that at the time, but not anymore.

'God help us all,' Alina muttered.

Merlin could only say amen to that.

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**Do you all see that beautiful button? Would you please use it to review, because that would absolutely make my day.**


	36. Chapter 36

**Well, I don't have very much to say, so let's get on with my version of the Witchfinder's visit. Read and review!**

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**Chapter 36**

**Arthur**

Arthur had of course heard the stories about the Witchfinder, the living legend, who had battled against magic for as long as anyone could remember. The man had succeeded in rooting out sorcery everywhere he went. He's was the nightmare of every sorcerer. They were known to flee the places where he came, his reputation alone being enough to scare every evil-doer out of their wits.

And now he was in Camelot. They should be honoured to host such a famous man and apparent friend of his father's. But still, there was another side to this, because Aredian did not come here to pay a social call. He was here on duty. It was the necessity of his visit to Camelot that made Arthur feel slightly uncomfortable. It was the feeling he had so often felt as a child, when he had messed something up and he could not fix it himself, so one of the grown-ups had to come and help. It made him feel ashamed, a feeling he not so often experienced.

'So, where's he been all this time?' Arthur wondered as he accompanied Alina and his father to the council chamber to meet their newly arrived guest.

'Foreign lands,' the king replied. 'Wherever the pursuit of sorcery takes him.'

'And he does all this in your name?' Arthur asked in a disbelieving voice.

'The Witchfinder serves no one,' Alina explained and Uther nodded in agreement. 'He's a law onto himself.'

How was it possible she always knew things like that? 'You heard of him? Even in your homeland you've heard of him?'

She snorted. 'Unlike you sometimes, I do have my ears open, you know. One hears stories.'

They were all of them startled when a deep voice behind them spoke up. 'Do you smell it?' the voice said.

They turned around in surprise. From behind one of the columns Aredian stepped into the light. They must have walked past him only a few seconds ago, but none of them had noticed him.

'Do you smell it, Uther?' he repeated.

'Aredian,' Uther greeted.

Arthur took a moment to look at the legend that the Witchfinder was. As much as he'd heard about him, he had never actually met him. Or rather, he had, many years ago, when he was only a toddler, but he had no memories of it. Apparently his father had asked the Witchfinder for his aid during the Great Purge. The man he now saw was tall, had blond hair and light-coloured eyes and was dressed in black. He had an unrelenting air about him. He looked so confident, so strong, filled with so much authority that Arthur felt almost jealous. Aredian was someone he could look up to, a role model of how a man should be.

'It's all around us,' Aredian continued. 'The foul stench of sorcery. It has infected your great city like a contagion.'

His father ignored the insult in those words. 'I welcome you to Camelot,' he said. 'Thank you for making such haste to be here.'

'Well, let's hope I'm not too late, hm?' Aredian said. 'For every hour counts in the war against sorcery.' Arthur could not agree more. 'Unchecked it spreads like a disease,' the Witchfinder went on. 'It seeks out the young and the old, the weak and the able, the fair and the foul of heart alike.' Whilst delivering this line he walked around the table, now turning to face the king once more. 'You've grown lazy, Uther. You've grown idle. Your once noble Camelot is rotten to the core. You stand on the brink of dark oblivion.'

Arthur had felt how Alina tensed during this speech. He wasn't sure he was comfortable with Aredian's manner of addressing his father himself, but he decided not to speak up for fear it might be offending.

Alina had no such reservations. 'Sir, we all appreciate your coming here, and with such haste at that, but I think you are forgetting yourself. You are speaking to the king of Camelot and as such you ought to give him the respect he is entitled to.'

This struck the Witchfinder speechless. In fact, even Uther looked at her in what appeared to be shock.

'They're equals,' Arthur hissed.

'Even so, that is no reason to be so rude. I think we can all bear witness as to how hard the king has fought to banish magic from the realm,' she insisted. 'So, your accusations are exaggerated if not completely untrue. And even if they were true, you have no right whatsoever to lecture the king on how he runs his kingdom. You are only here to help and nothing more.'

Uther walked over and laid a hand on her shoulder. 'It's all right,' he said. 'Aredian is right.'

Alina looked daggers at the Witchfinder. Strangely enough she did not appear to like him in the slightest. Arthur could understand the concern she had for his father. Alina was nothing if not completely loyal to him, treating him as she would her own father. But this was going a bit too far.

'Allow me to disagree, sire,' she said in a cold voice.

Aredian's gaze now settled on her. 'You must be the Lady Alina.'

'I am, sir,' she replied.

'I remember seeing you at your father's court many years ago,' the Witchfinder went on.

'And I remember seeing you there,' Alina retorted.

Hang on a second, she actually knew this man? Arthur could not believe his ears. Why on earth had she not told him?

'I also remember that you were not there for long as my father told you he had no need of your services. I see that your manners have not improved much since that day,' Alina said.

Arthur understood a little of why she so disliked the Witchfinder. If his manner of speaking to his father upset her so much, he wasn't sure he wanted to know how she had reacted when he had addressed her own father in that manner. Arthur had witnessed her anger a few times and he could only say that was a fearsome thing to behold.

'I go where the sorcerers go,' Aredian said.

Alina grinded her teeth. 'I'd like it if you stopped insulting everyone in the room and just do what you were called here to do,' she said furiously. If it had been someone she knew well, she would have hit him five minutes ago, Arthur knew. So he jumped at the opportunity, just in case she might forget that Aredian was not someone she could slap in the face, no matter how much he deserved it.

'I am at your disposal, Aredian,' he said. 'The knights will aid you in any way they can.'

The Witchfinder turned to look at him now, instead of his fiancée. 'You must be Arthur.'

'I must be,' he confirmed, not feeling completely at ease. There was something about the Witchfinder's eyes that he thought was very unnerving. It was as if he looked right through him, right into his very soul. Alina had a certain look that could do that as well. But where hers was often calming and loving, Aredian's was cold and measuring. It made him feel like the bad kid all over again.

'You're a great warrior, the finest this kingdom has ever known,' Aredian said. But the message he somehow managed to convey with this words was: _You're a fine warrior, but still not good enough. I can do better._

'Thank you,' he said, unable to rid himself of the feeling that he had just thanked the man for paying him an insult.

'So you won't be offended when I say that I shall have no need of you, or your knights,' the Witchfinder said dismissively. 'The subtle craft of sorcery can only be fought by yet subtler means, methods honed over decades of study. Methods known only to myself.'

Arthur had to come to a not so nice conclusion: the conclusion that he did not like this man as much as he had believed. To be quite honest, he thought him a prat and, for want of a better word, a clotpole. Of course, if he wanted to fight sorcerers on his own, that was his decision to make, but he could have said it in a gentler way. This was rude.

'We are grateful for your help,' his father said. Arthur did not understand why his father swallowed all Aredian's remarks. Alina had been right to speak up, Arthur realised. Even if all the Witchfinder's accusations were true, there still were a few rules on decency that had to be obeyed. Aredian did not.

'Gratitude alone can't keep a man alive,' he said. 'You must put food in his belly.'

So now he was greedy, too. No wonder Alina's father had much rather solved his problems himself than hiring this man to do it for him. Arthur still thought Aredian was a hero for fighting magic at every turn, but now he realised he much rather had him do that somewhere he would not need to see him.

'I will pay your price, Aredian,' the king promised. 'Whatever it may be.'

'I will bid you good night.' Now that he had heard what he wanted to, there apparently was no need for him to remain in their company.

The Witchfinder was about to exit the room, but Arthur called him back. 'Aredian!'

The man stopped.

'When do you begin?'

'I've already begun,' the Witchfinder said before leaving the council chambers.

Arthur did not know why, but he suddenly had a feeling this might not have been such a good plan after all.

**Alina**

'So, what do you think of him?' Alina asked.

They had made themselves comfortable in her room, deciding to talk a while before going to bed. She had gotten them some wine and a few things to eat. So now they sat at the table, talking.

'I… I don't know,' Arthur replied. 'I mean, he is a true hero, but he has appalling manners.'

They both laughed.

'All too true,' she grinned.

'You could have told me that you knew him,' Arthur said indignantly. 'You met the legend.'

She snorted. 'Where I come from only his rudeness is legend,' she told him.

She once had a dream about the time that the Witchfinder came to the court of the other Alina's father, demanding that he hand a certain sorcerer over to him. Her father had grown angry, pointing out to Aredian that sorcery was in fact not forbidden in his kingdom and therefore he would never ever give the sorcerer to him. To execute a man who had, according to their laws, committed no crime, _that_ would be considered a crime. Aredian had then gotten very angry, uttering insults that she, at the time, had not fully understood, but she now knew were beyond any normal rudeness. The guards had escorted the Witchfinder out of the kingdom, telling him to stay away in future, unless he wanted to get himself killed.

Alina found herself now wishing that Aredian had been foolish enough to return and had gotten himself killed. It would have saved her and every citizen of Camelot this ordeal.

Arthur folded his legs beneath him, sipping from his wine. 'Now, I'm curious,' he told her. 'What has he done to deserve such a reputation?'

'Let's just say that he paid my father some insults that make the ones he paid your father look like compliments in comparison,' she told him. She did not think it wise to explain to him what exactly had been the reason for Aredian's coming to them. She was not sure he would understand.

'Did your father plan on hiring him?' Arthur asked. He was fishing for information, she could feel it.

'Not exactly,' she replied in a voice that carried the message that she would not want to talk about this any further.

'Then why did he come?' Arthur pressed, not letting this one go. She could feel his curiosity pulse through their connection. There was also some wariness. He could feel she was holding out on him.

She shrugged. 'He came on his own account. You know he goes where the pursuit of sorcery takes him. Apparently it took him to my father's court.'

The other Alina's father had known of his daughter's magic. The art of sorcery was never really outlawed in their kingdom, but after he had found out that his only daughter possessed that gift, he had begun to actively protect it. Attacking magic was the same as attacking his little girl and he did not take too kindly to people who tried anything like that. Nonetheless they had agreed that it would be best not to make her gifts public knowledge, because not all kingdoms were so fond of magic-users.

'You had a problem with sorcerers too?' Arthur asked.

She could not help but laugh. 'Far from that,' she assured him.

'You're trying to hide something from me, aren't you Alina?' The prince narrowed his eyes.

'Fine,' she said, giving up. 'It's just that where I come from magic isn't outlawed, but protected. Aredian was hunting a sorcerer at the time. That particular man had sought refuge in our kingdom and the Witchfinder demanded that we hand him over to him. My father refused. Aredian did not take that too well. He was furious. My father had him removed from the land, decreeing that he would be executed immediately if he ever dared to show his face again.'

Arthur's eyes widened in disbelief. 'Magic is allowed in your brother's kingdom?'

'It is,' she nodded.

'But that must be dangerous! Weren't you constantly afraid of being attacked?'

She snorted. 'Of course not.'

'How could you not be?' he exclaimed. 'Magic is pure evil!'

'No, it isn't,' she disagreed. 'I know plenty of good sorcerers. There are even sorcerers among my friends. One of them was my best friend. He used his gift to heal people. Whenever someone was ill they would go to him and he would make sure that they were in perfect health when they left again. And there was one of my father's most trusted guards who had magic too. He saved me from bandits more than once, using his powers to knock them unconscious or sent them flying backwards or something like that. He never killed them, though. He was too kind for that. He only killed when necessary and his idea of necessary differed a great deal from what the others thought. Even if a bandit was about to cut his throat he would still try to reason with him.' She took things from her dreams to explain to him what she knew.

Arthur's jaw had dropped. 'That's impossible. Magic is always evil.'

'Isn't,' she disagreed again.

'In Camelot that always is so,' he insisted.

She shook her head. 'I think you're wrong again. You just say that because every sorcerer you've ever encountered has been trying to bring Camelot down. You never met the good ones, because they are all smart enough to be hiding, waiting until magic is destined to return to the land.'

She shrugged, as if this all was common knowledge. But inside of her, her heart was beating too rapidly to be considered healthy. Her words could be considered treason and with a known witch hunter in the castle, her declaration had not been the wisest thing to say. But the words had escaped her mouth before she could stop them, driven by the desperate urge to make Arthur see that not all sorcerers were bad, that there were good ones, trying to keep him safe. If that realisation dawned on him, maybe in time she could reveal to him that she was one of the good ones. She hated all the lies that still needed to be told. She wanted to cry her secret out, make him know, make him understand, but she knew all too well that she could not. Not yet, at least.

'If you don't know any good sorcerers in Camelot yourself, how can you be so certain?' Arthur asked in a very condescending voice.

'Well, there are the prophecies for starters.'

'What?' Arthur bellowed.

'There is a prophecy about a powerful warlock who goes by the name of Emrys. This prophecy states that he is destined to protect you,' she explained. It had been a spur of the moment decision, but she knew in her heart that it was the right one. Arthur had always been so clueless in the series, maybe it would be better to plant the thought of a good sorcerer. You could never know when this knowledge might come in handy.

He eyed her warily. 'Where did you learn all that?'

'Unlike you, I take the time to read every now and then. That's how I stumbled across this one. I read about it. In a book. From the library.'

'We don't have books on that subject,' he denied.

A teasing smile formed on her face. 'And how come you're so certain about that? You've never even been in the library!' she laughed.

He threw a cookie at her head, missing her by a few inches, which gave her another something to tease him with. The subject of magic was dropped and not mentioned again that night, but she could feel Arthur was thinking on what she said and she prayed that it would be enough.

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	37. Chapter 37

**Hello everyone. Here's the next chapter so please enjoy.**

**Please, please review. I'd like to know what you think!**

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**Chapter 37**

**Arthur**

To be quite honest, Arthur did not really see Aredian the following day. He was woken by Merlin, threw a goblet at his head for the trouble, then had breakfast and prepared for a long training session with the knights, while Merlin went into town with Gaius to collect pots ('Every Thursday it's the same stupid pots!').

Aredian was busy trying to uncover the sorcerer and Arthur found himself wondering if he would be any more successful than he had been in the past. Part of him very much wanted this dangerous sorcerer gone, but another, very irrational, part of him did want to deny the Witchfinder the satisfaction of being triumphant again. His chat with his fiancée the previous day had made him think. Apparently no other kingdom suffered from magical attacks like theirs. Alina had more or less suggested that might be because sorcerers just were not amused with a regime that outlawed them, hunted them like animals. It would only be a natural reaction to be angry, though she admitted that that was no excuse to turn to the evil side.

There was something very disturbing she had told him as well, about a sorcerer named Emrys, who was supposed to be protecting him. He had laughed at the idea. Why on earth would any sorcerer in his senses even want to protect the son of a magic-hating king?

But then, he may have laughed, in truth he did not doubt this prophecy as much as he tried to make Alina believe. Because in the last two years he had been lucky more than once. There had been a light guiding him when he was going to get Merlin's antidote, obviously a magical light, whenever bandits attacked they would trip over their own feet, get hit by falling branches or suddenly drop their swords. There had been other moments as well and once Arthur started to list them, there was no end to it. What if his good luck wasn't luck at all? What if his only good luck was to have a powerful sorcerer watching his back?

Thoughts like this were distressing to the prince. There simply could be no way that magic, in any way, was a good thing. He had faced its evil nature more than enough to be certain of that. But still, the doubt gnawed at him. To silence this he trained as hard as he could, forgetting everything else, completely losing himself in the dance of the swords and maces.

It was late in the afternoon that he was summoned to the throne room. Arthur suspected this had something to do with the Witchfinder's investigations. Could he have results for them so soon already? It seemed like a miracle. But, of course, Aredian was known for working miracles when it came to hunting down magic-users.

He positioned himself behind Alina's chair.

'What's going on?' he asked.

'Apparently our dear Witchfinder has something he'd like to say to us.' She shrugged.

'You still don't like him, then?'

'I'd be surprised if there was _someone_ who liked him,' she retorted. 'Well, his mother maybe.'

He chuckled. 'It's really sweet to see you like this, Alina.'

'Like what?' she demanded.

'Angry, sulking.'

'Very funny, Arthur.'

Aredian entered then, which put an end to their conversation. He led three very nervous women in. They all looked like they would prefer any other place over this one.

Aredian let them halt a few meters before the throne. 'Speak,' he commanded. 'Do not be afraid.'

The first woman looked up at the king, not quite meeting his eyes. 'I… I was drawing water from the well, sire,' she spoke. 'When I saw them, faces in the well, sire, terrible faces. Like people who were drowned! Screaming, screaming!' She broke down into sobs.

Aredian moved on to the next woman. 'Tell them what you saw.'

'A goblin,' the second woman replied. She was a little braver than the first. 'Dancing on the coals. It was dancing in flames. And it spoke, sire. My heart near stopped for fear of it.'

Aredian shot Arthur and his father a triumphant look as if to prove how right he had been to accuse the king of not being harsh enough in his measures against magic. No matter how Arthur believed in the evilness of magic, right now he would not mind a bit if it was Aredian himself ending up being roasted for that look. He was enjoying that mental picture a little too much here.

Alina had tensed as well, looking daggers at the Witchfinder. Arthur laid a hand on her shoulder to calm her. It worked a little, but not much.

Aredian had moved over to the third woman by now. 'As you've heard, my lord,' he said. 'The incident in the woods was only the beginning.' He poked the last woman. 'Hmm?'

'There was a sorcerer, sire,' she spoke. 'In the square. There were creatures jumping right out of his mouth.'

'What manner of creature?' Aredian pressed.

'Toads, sire,' she replied, sounding scared now. 'Great, green, slimy things as big as your fist!'

His father looked positively horrified. No doubt he was wondering how something like this could happen in the very heart of his city, something Arthur was asking himself too. If there was a sorcerer coughing up toads in the middle of the central square, you'd say that more people would have noticed that.

He stopped this thought before he could go any further. He wasn't calling Aredian's abilities to detect magic into question, now, was he? Even though the man was probably the most ill-mannered prat he had ever come across, he still was famous for rooting out magic. He had years and years of experience. Arthur reprimanded himself. He should be learning from him instead of questioning his methods.

'The sorcerer laughs in your face!' Aredian declared. 'Even now magic flourishes on the streets of Camelot!'

'I scarcely believe it,' his father said.

'Yet it is the truth, my lord,' Aredian insisted. 'Fortunately I've utilized every facet of my craft to bring this matter to a swift resolution.'

_Big words, Aredian_, Arthur thought mockingly. _Showing off, aren't you? Showing us all how good you are._ These hateful thoughts had popped into his head before he could stop them. _Get a grip!_ he told himself. _This man is doing a lot of good, despite his lack of manners and humility._

His father stood up. 'The sorcerer? You have a suspect?'

'I do, my lord,' the Witchfinder said. 'And I regret to say they stand among us in this very room.'

Shocked whispers buzzing, people shooting each other horrified looks, glancing around them. Arthur felt a sudden urge to do the same, but he managed to remain calm. Unlike Alina, who had tensed again. That was strange. She was not afraid of sorcerers, she had admitted as much last night. Surely she had no reason to be frightened?

'My methods are infallible, my findings incontestable!' Aredian announced in a dramatic voice. The man had a talent for theatrics. 'The facts point to one person and one person alone.' He waited a few moments to let the tension and expectation build even further, before turning around and pointing out his suspect. 'The boy, Merlin!'

There was a shocked silence as everyone tried to process this. Arthur's mind worked at top speed. His first impulse was to deny it all at once, to declare Aredian a blind fool and tell him to investigate again, because there was no way that Merlin, _Merlin_ of all people could ever be a sorcerer. The whole idea was beyond ridiculous.

But then, another thought entered his mind, because Merlin had always been somewhere around when something remarkable happened to him. Somehow Merlin always seemed to be in exactly the right position to drop a heavy branch on an attacking bandit. He always seemed to know what was going on before anyone else did. He remembered what Alina had said about this sorcerer that was supposed to protect him. What if…?

He spoke up before he could stop himself. 'Merlin?' he repeated in a dismissive voice, as if this idea was the most stupid idea he had ever heard. 'You. Can't. Be. Serious.'

'This is outrageous!' Gaius shouted. 'You have no evidence!'

'Tools of magic cannot be hidden from me,' Aredian said. 'I'm certain that a thorough search of the boy's chamber will deliver us all we need.'

Alina had gotten up. 'Sire, I really must protest. There is no way Merlin could ever be a sorcerer!'

The king ignored her. 'Merlin?' he said.

Merlin was braver than Arthur had given him credit for. He looked him right in the eye. 'I have nothing to hide from him,' he said in a clear and loud voice.

'Very well,' his father said. 'Guards, restrain the boy. Let the search begin.'

Alina grabbed his arm as he prepared to walk away. 'Arthur, you can't do this,' she begged. 'Please?'

He lowered his voice. 'Do you have such a low opinion of me? He's my friend too. Don't tell him I said that,' he added quickly.

'So, you promise to not let anything happen to him?' she pressed.

He nodded. 'Leave it to me. Go back to your chambers and wait there. I'll come as soon as I can. Trust me.'

She nodded and left, taking Morgana with her. Arthur went with the guards. _Oh, Merlin, what have you gotten yourself into?_

**Alina**

Morgana was pacing restlessly around Alina's room.

'What if Merlin doesn't come back? What if they kill him?' This and more like this she was constantly saying, driving Alina very nearly mad. She had trouble focussing as it was. She knew this would happen and she knew that there was nothing she could have done to prevent it from happening, but she still felt guilty. Her brain was working at full speed, trying to think of a way to get rid of this Witchfinder as soon as possible.

'What if Uther won't listen to reason?' Morgana went on. 'What if he is dead already?'

'Shut up, Morgana!' she exclaimed.

That shut her up nicely. Alina was not usually rude, but her patience had been tried more than enough for one day. And she needed to think, to remember what happened in this episode. But she found that her memory was a mess. She had never really like this episode, so she had not watched it a lot. The result of that: having only a few ideas of what was going on and what had to happen. She wanted to cry out in frustration.

The door burst open and Merlin came in.

'Merlin!' Morgana exclaimed in relief, not caring about etiquette now, but simply pulling him into a hug. 'Thank God, you're safe.'

Arthur came in after his servant, closing the door behind him, a solemn look on his face. 'Alina? They've taken Gaius.'

On Morgana's shoulder Merlin began to sob.

Fury boiled in her. 'How on earth could you have let that happen, Arthur Pendragon?' she snarled at him.

He held up his hands. 'There was nothing I could do, Alina!' he said. 'There was an amulet found in his chambers. Gaius swore it belonged to him. I heard him say so myself!'

She walked over to him and slapped his face. 'And you believed that? Are you really as stupid as you look?'

'Ow!' he complained. 'He swore to it, Alina. What else am I supposed to think?'

She had a whole lot to say about that, but she saved it for later. There were more pressing things at hand right now. 'Where did you find it?' she demanded.

'What do you…?' Arthur asked, not understanding.

'In Gaius' chambers, where did you find it?'

'Eh… in a jar from the cupboard on the right wall, I think,' Arthur replied, still confused.

'What jar?'

'A glass one,' the prince said. 'There were some kind of greenish blue grains in it.'

'That is impossible,' she stated, feeling somewhat relieved.

'It was there, Alina!' Arthur started to protest.

'It's impossible,' she repeated. 'I refilled that jar only this morning only before I went into town with Gaius and Merlin. And I swear that there was no magical amulet, or any kind of amulet, at all in his chambers, let alone that jar.' She was absolutely positive on that one.

Merlin stared at her, disbelieving. 'None of us has gone back there since this morning. If that amulet was not there when you refilled it…' he whispered.

'Must mean that someone has put it there,' Morgana understood. 'Which means…'

'That Gaius is set up,' Alina finished.

Arthur looked like he just saw a ghost. 'But he swore to it,' he stuttered.

'Yes, to protect Merlin,' Alina said slowly, as if explaining something to a child. On reflection, this looked very much like speaking to a child, really. It must be a Pendragon thing to be so slow of mind on important occasions. 'It doesn't change the facts. We were out all morning and Gaius never locks his door, so anyone could have slipped that thing into the jar, but I think I already know who did it.'

Merlin looked at her with hopeful eyes. 'Who did?'

She grimaced. 'The Witchfinder,' she sighed.

The hope in Merlin's eyes disappeared. He understood how hopeless it would be to go up against such a powerful man as the Witchfinder on so little evidence.

Arthur eyed her warily. 'How can you be sure, Alina?'

_I'm from the future, that's how I know_, she thought, but that she could not say, so she made up another explanation, that would sound reasonable.

'Let's sit down,' she proposed. 'And I'll explain.'

They all did as she asked. She noticed that Morgana held Merlin's hand to support him. Even now the situation was so serious, Alina almost smiled. _Even if I change nothing else, it will be good to know that these two have found each other_, she thought. She felt even proud of that. After all, she had succeeded in keeping Morgana on the side of good. If that wasn't a huge achievement, she wouldn't know what was.

'What makes you say that Aredian is responsible for framing Gaius?' Arthur asked. He seemed to have accepted that for the fact it was. She was grateful for that.

'Because I hear stories, a lot of them,' she replied.

_Legend?_ Merlin asked.

_You bet_, she replied.

'Stories?' Arthur said dismissively.

'If people tell stories, there always is some ground for them,' she said coolly. 'And I've spoken to an eyewitness. He came to my father's court, begging for protection. He did not possess magic, yet in his house there was all of a sudden this magical bracelet. He had never seen it before, but Aredian used it to brand him a sorcerer and to arrest him.'

Arthur still looked very sceptical. 'How did he escape if not by using magic?'

'His brother stole the key, drugged the guards and broke him out. The way I heard it Aredian was not so pleased with that.'

'It makes no sense,' Merlin spoke up. 'Why would anyone try to arrest people for crimes they did not commit?'

She shrugged. 'Greed, I think. Aredian gets paid for every sorcerer he catches. The more he arrests, the more money he gets.'

Arthur nodded. 'That would make sense. But still, there must be a real sorcerer out there. We all heard what the witnesses said.'

'What if they were bribed?' Alina demanded. 'Or threatened?'

'They were genuinely afraid, Alina,' he pointed out.

_Yes, because they saw visions, hallucinations, thanks to our dear Aredian_, she thought, but that was something she wasn't supposed to know, so she had to approach this differently. 'Arthur, imagine you're a sorcerer.'

'I'm not!' he protested.

'I know,' she said in a voice like she was trying to explain a very simple thing to a very stupid child. 'But let's just say, for argument's sake, that you were.'

'Right?' The prince still sounded not very pleased with the whole idea.

'Well, imagine you're a sorcerer, here in Camelot. What would you do?'

Arthur thought about that for a moment. 'I think I would try to keep my head down, I guess, not to attract a lot of attention.'

She nodded. 'So…?'

She could see the realisation dawn on him. 'I would most certainly not risk exposure by coughing up toads in the central square for everyone to see, is that what you mean?'

Alina was relieved that he understood so quickly. Really, the real Arthur was a whole lot more intelligent than the character from the series. Well, she was glad. It made all of this a whole lot easier.

She nodded fiercely. 'Add to that the fact that all these things started happening when Aredian came into town, not before, and I think we can all come to the conclusion that there is more to the Witchfinder than he would have us believe.'

'But then he is a fraud,' Morgana said.

'Maybe,' Alina said. 'There might also be another explanation.'

Arthur's jaw dropped. 'That he is a sorcerer himself? He did all those tricks and is now trying to blame someone else in order to get money?'

'That would be very low,' Morgana said. 'Very low indeed.'

'It would also be the perfect way to create chaos in the kingdom,' Alina pointed out. 'Gaius is one of the most trusted advisors to the king. If Aredian manages to take him out, that could have grave consequences.'

'So, what do we do?' Merlin asked.

'We prove Gaius' innocence,' the princess said.

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	38. Chapter 38

**Hello, everyone, and welcome to chapter 38. Enjoy reading and please review. And, by the way, thanks to everyone who did review, I love you.**

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**Chapter 38**

**Merlin**

'What are we doing here?' Arthur demanded in a furious hiss.

'Looking for any evidence that may prove our point,' Merlin replied.

'We can't go in here!' the prince protested.

'No one said you had to come with me,' Merlin said in an annoyed voice.

They had left Alina's room the following morning with a very exact plan of action. The girls, Morgana, Alina and Gwen were shadowing Aredian, making sure he would not come anywhere near his room for some hours at least. This was necessary, because Merlin and Arthur were about to search Aredian's chambers unauthorized, in search for evidence that Gaius indeed had been set up.

Merlin never had any doubt about this. To him it was obvious that Gaius was not a sorcerer, but saying that it was obvious would probably not convince Uther to release his mentor, so they needed something more substantial if they wanted this to work, hence this little trip.

In the original plan Arthur would have been part of the Distraction Brigade, but Morgana thought it would be irresponsible to send Merlin in there on his own. She had begged as long as it took to get Arthur to accompany him. Arthur was not that happy with it (he had only come because Morgana asked) and by now Merlin started to wish that he hadn't come at all.

Merlin peeked into the room and found it empty.

'All clear,' he told the prince. 'Let's go.'

'_Mer_lin!' Arthur said, sounding very irritated. 'How hard is it to understand that I am the one who decides when we go?'

'Fine,' Merlin snapped. 'Well, when you're all ready?'

Arthur nodded.

'Let's go then.' He entered the room, not waiting to see if his master was following. He really did not have the patience for this right now.

Arthur walked in after him, closing the door behind him. They both stood still for a moment to watch the room. Aredian was a very tidy kind of person. It was almost too tidy, not at all like someone lived and slept here. The only exception to this was the desk. It was covered in papers, quills and one very scary looking inkwell, shaped in the form of a skull, or that was what Merlin hoped at least. The idea that the Witchfinder's inkwell was actually made of the head of someone he had executed was almost too bad to think about.

Arthur had noticed the macabre object as well. He walked over to the desk, picking it up to study it closer. 'This is real,' he judged. 'What kind of man is this?' The prince sounded positively disgusted.

'A dangerous man,' Merlin replied. He remembered all too well that Gaius told him Aredian was a force to be reckoned with. Why had he not believed him immediately? If he had done, would Gaius still be free?

He shook his head as soon as the thought had entered his thoughts. Of course not. Aredian would still have planted the amulet in that jar. Nothing could have prevented this from happening. Alina had said as much. He should not blame himself. That solved nothing.

'You search that cupboard there, I'll check the other one,' Arthur decided, taking charge now that he had apparently come to the conclusion that this was not such a waste of time as he might have first thought.

_Alina, help me_, he thought at his friend.

_Of course, Merlin_, came the immediate reply. _What do you want to know?_

_Where do I have to look?_

_The cupboard_, she replied.

He walked over and found it locked. _It's locked_, he reported.

She mentally snorted. _Are you a warlock or not? Make it open._

He glanced over his shoulders to make sure Arthur wasn't looking and then whispered the spell as softly as he could. Arthur did not notice, but then, he never did. The prince was looking in some very big books, a deep frown in his forehead.

_Okay, what now?_ There were so many things stored in such a small place, he would have no idea where to start looking.

_There should be flower petals of some kind in there, she replied. Red or orange coloured, if I remember correctly. They should be somewhere below eyelevel in a glass box,_ she instructed.

He spotted them as soon as she had described them. _How can it be you have such detailed stories in your time? And how can it be that you remember them so well? This is amazing._

_Well, that's me. And I guess I just have a good memory. Right, take a few of those. Not all of them, mind you. He might notice something's missing if you do._

'Merlin, come look at this!' Arthur called.

He broke off the conversation with Alina and walked over to Arthur. 'What is it?'

Arthur held some of Aredian's documents. 'Read this,' he ordered.

Merlin scanned the lines as quickly as he could and then gasped in horror. 'This is….'

'Reports of how he managed to get people to confess,' the prince said.

'Innocent people,' Merlin whispered.

Arthur nodded. 'Alina was right. We should take these to my father.'

'But will that be enough to get Gaius released?' Merlin wondered. 'There's still this testimony of the women and the amulet found in Gaius' jar.'

'There might be another sorcerer doing that,' Arthur said matter-of-factly. 'We could always tell him that.'

'But we don't have proof,' Merlin pointed out.

'I know that, _Mer_lin!' the prince snapped. 'What did you find?'

Merlin showed him a handful of flower petals. 'I'm not sure they mean something,' he confessed. 'But it's a strange thing to have for a man. Maybe somewhere in Gaius' books…' His voice trailed off. The guards had made a mess of Gaius' chambers. The books were thrown all over the place. It could take hours to find the book they needed.

'Maybe Alina knows what this is,' Arthur suggested. 'She has been studying with Gaius for the best part of the year. She may know.'

Merlin nodded, deciding that this indeed was the best plan of action. 'We should ask her,' he agreed.

'Let's get out of here,' Arthur said.

'You can't take those papers with you,' Merlin said. 'If Aredian finds that they're missing, he will know that we're on to him and then he will run for it, before we can get a confession out of him.'

By the looks of it Arthur did not want to put the evidence back at all, but he did it nonetheless, for which Merlin was grateful.

_We're on our way back_, he thought at Alina.

_Heavens be thanked for that!_ she exclaimed. _I swear that the Witchfinder is getting a little suspicious. We'll be in my room in five minutes. See you there._

'Let's check out her room first,' Merlin said.

'Let's,' Arthur agreed.

All the girls were already there when they arrived. Arthur seemed to find this strange.

'Weren't you supposed to keep Aredian busy?' he asked.

'He didn't want to be kept busy!' Morgana snapped. 'He had urgent business in the dungeons, so you better have something good.'

Merlin walked over to Alina and dropped the petals in her hand. 'We found this,' he told her. _Or rather, you told me to take it._

She faked surprise. 'Where did you find this?' she demanded.

'In his cupboard,' Merlin replied. 'It seemed a strange thing to have for a man.'

'Very strange indeed,' she muttered.

Arthur went to stand next to them. 'Do you know what this is?'

'Why, it's belladonna,' Alina replied. 'I read about it in one of Gaius' books.'

'Belladonna?' Morgana repeated. 'But women use those to make their eyes look more beautiful. What on earth would a man like Aredian want with those?'

'Under some circumstances a tincture of this stuff can cause hallucinations,' Alina said.

'And all the witnesses were women,' Gwen spoke up.

'Arthur?' Alina asked. 'What shall we do?'

Merlin had seen Arthur looking solemn before, but this expression was in the race for a first place. 'We're going to tell my father.'

**Alina**

Alina felt nervous, the way she always felt when she was about to change something, so this time of course was no exception. She tried to calm herself by telling herself that exposing Aredian was much easier than revealing the Lady Catrina for what she really was. The evidence was overwhelming and since the Witchfinder was not in any way an attractive woman trying to win Uther's heart, that would not present much of a problem either. Besides, Arthur supported her in this and Uther listened to his son, even if he was not prepared to listen to her.

It had been decided that Arthur and her would be the ones to tell the king of the Witchfinder's true nature. Arthur had wanted Morgana to join them, but Alina had persuaded him to leave her behind. The young witch was almost too scared of the Witchfinder to come anywhere near him. Since Uther was in his company a lot it did not seem like a good plan to take her with them. Because when Morgana's fear got the better of her, her magic still burst out every now and then and that would not do at all.

'Alina?' Arthur said at a certain moment.

'Hmm?'

'You told me a few days ago that you were not afraid of sorcerers. You even claimed to like some of them.'

'The good ones, yes,' she replied, sensing where this was going. 'Aredian has obviously gone over to the wrong side. Besides, picking on Gaius is so _not_ the best way to get into my good books.'

'Every time I think I got you figured out, you surprise me all over again,' he muttered.

'You wouldn't like me so much if that was not the case,' she teased in a light voice. 'And if it is any consolation, I don't have you figured out entirely.'

He laughed. 'You're a riddle, Alina.'

They checked if the king was in the council chambers, which he wasn't, and then they went to the king's private chambers. Of course, he wasn't there either.

'Where else could he be?' Arthur wondered. 'He's got a council meeting in an hour, so he's possibly not gone out for a ride.'

'Throne room?' Alina suggested. The king tended to have a council there every now and then.

'Not likely,' the prince said.

'But worth a try?'

Their route took them through the corridor which looked out on the courtyard below. Alina looked out and moaned.

'Are you all right?' Arthur asked in a worried voice.

'Yes, yes,' she answered impatiently. 'I think I found him.'

Arthur frowned. 'And how's that a bad thing?'

She pointed at the person accompanying the king. 'Because he is in very bad company,' she clarified.

Arthur glanced out of the window and moaned too. 'This is really our lucky day, isn't it?'

She sighed. 'I'm starting to believe it isn't. Come on, we've got to tell him anyway. Might as well do it right away. We may want to see Aredian try to talk his way out of this.'

'He can't,' Arthur said.

'No, but it will be fun to see him trying,' she growled, not sounding amused at all. Strange as it may seem, she wanted Aredian to suffer for all the crimes he had committed, all the pain and heartache he had caused. Someone who did such things did not deserve any mercy at all in her opinion.

'I don't know you could be like this,' Arthur observed.

'Well, I told you, whoever picks on my friends has just assured himself of having a very big problem,' she said, knowing that it was the truth.

'So, if someone was trying to hurt me…?' Arthur wondered.

'I'd kill him,' she replied without hesitation. 'Or make him understand that that would be a most unwise thing to do, at the very least.'

'You can be a little scary.'

She laughed. 'That's one I've never heard before. Not the first thing people tend to say when talking about me.'

They were outside by then, walking over to where Aredian and the king were having a conversation.

Uther saw them first. 'Arthur!' he said happily. 'Alina.'

'Good afternoon, sire,' Alina said. 'If we may steal a few minutes of your precious time, there is something Arthur and I like to discuss with you.' Better to do this as soon as possible. The nerves were killing her. She really should not let them. After all, there was nothing to be afraid of.

'Of course, Alina,' the king said indulgently. 'What is it you wanted to talk about?'

She had already opened her mouth to speak, when her attempt to tell the king the truth was jeopardized. By Aredian. He must have realised that they were on to him, despite their attempts to hide it from him. Maybe their Distraction Brigade had been too obvious. She couldn't say and at the moment she could not really care too.

As soon as the king's face was turned towards her, Aredian glanced at the statue on the castle wall. His eyes flashed gold and the statue started to fall.

Alina's heart nearly stopped and she gasped in shock. It took her less than a second to analyse the situation. That statue was bound to crash into the courtyard, right where a little child was playing on the ground. His mother was only a few meters away, unloading a cart filled with apples.

All eyes now turned to the drama unfolding right before their eyes. There was no way that toddler would get away in time. It was too small to run or even walk, even if it had seen the approaching danger. But it hadn't seen. It was still playing with a bit of straw, oblivious of what was going on.

There was no time to call out a warning, there was no time to think. There was only time to act. And act was what she did, almost on instinct. She could not let this child die, not when it was in her power to stop it.

So without taking the time to consider the consequences of what she was about to do, she held out her hand and spoke the spell as clearly as she could.

As the statue suddenly hovered in mid-air, only about a meter above the child's unsuspecting head, all she could really see was the disappointed look of betrayal in Arthur's eyes.

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**Yes, I know that's a cliff-hanger and yes, I know some of you may want to kill me. But I'm going to make it even worse, because I'm out of town tomorrow all day and I will have no time whatsoever to upload the next chapter, and this time I'm afraid I mean it. You'll have to wait till Tuesday for the next update. Sorry!**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading it and I still really love reviews, so please tell me what you think!**


	39. Chapter 39

**Hello everyone. I'm sorry you had to wait for this, but here I am with another chapter. This one is quite emotional, so I hope it turned out right. I'll let you be the judge of that. So please read and review!**

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**Chapter 39**

**Arthur **

Arthur had trouble processing what had just happened. Somehow something had gone very wrong. His day had started not good to begin with. Morgana had talked him into escorting Merlin to search the Witchfinder's chambers, who had suddenly turned out to be the ultimate bad guy, either a fraud or a sorcerer himself. That had not done much to improve his mood.

Then he had gone with Alina to tell his father about this alarming discovery. They had been about to do that. Alina had already opened her mouth, in fact. But then something changed, turned all of his world upside down. A statue had fallen. The statue in question had been there for as long as he could remember. There was no way it could have fallen without some kind of trick… or sorcery.

The next thing he noticed was the little child sitting right under it, its mother too far away to save her child. He knew that there was nothing anyone could do and he prepared to look away from the scene when he heard Alina. Only, it did not sound like her. She sounded like Merlin had sounded in that dream he had after being knocked out by the attack of Cornelius Sigan: ordering, confident, full of authority. He did not understand the words she spoke, but he understood their meaning. Alina commanded the statue to remain right where it was. And it obeyed. Arthur had a feeling that the stone had no choice but to obey.

He turned around in shock, only just in time to see her eyes flash gold, before returning to their usual blue. He could only stare at her. She glanced at him, sadness obvious in her eyes. Sadness and regret.

'Sorry,' she mouthed.

The next moment she broke into a run, grabbed the child and handed it back to the mother before holding out her hand again. The statue floated back through the air and went back to where it had stood for decades. If you looked at it now, you would have trouble believing that only a minute ago it threatened the life of a child.

But Arthur had seen, as had all the other people in the square. There was no denying what she was anymore. Arthur felt a sharp pang in his heart. Betrayed. She had betrayed him in the most ultimate way possible. Of all the people who could have been sorcerers, Alina's name had been the last name he would have come up with.

When she was finished, she walked over to their little group again. There was still that sad smile he knew so well by now. But how could he believe anything she did? She had lied to him from the beginning!

His father was still speechless. He could only look at the princess. There was hurt in his eyes, confusion, betrayal, anger, disappointment, all the emotions Arthur himself felt.

'I guess this is the moment where you say _arrest her_?' she asked, sounding older than someone her age should sound.

'Arrest her,' his father said.

Aredian was all too happy to oblige. He called over a few guards and they dragged the princess away with them. Arthur noticed that she did not resist. What was this, another trick? To gain their pity perhaps?

She wasn't getting any of his. Heaven help him, he could not believe he had ever even liked her. Ugh, he had kissed her, kissed a sorceress! No wonder she had talked about magic being able to be used for good. She just wanted to talk her way out of this, in case she got caught. He could not believe he ever fell for that. It had been so obvious!

He fled back to his chambers, throwing everything to the other end of the room as hard as he could, not caring if it was another goblet or even his sword. His mind was going around in circles. How could she have done this to him? Why, why, why? Could she not just _not_ have used magic, turned her back on it? Surely she would have been pardoned if that had been the case?

But no, of course she could not have done that. Magic corrupted people. It had corrupted the woman he had truly loved, the only woman he would ever love. It had taken her, changed her, until she had to plot against Camelot. Heaven knew what damage she had done in the last year. Arthur wasn't sure he wanted to know.

He cried out in frustration and fury, throwing his helmet against the wall. It bounced off the wall and rolled under the table. Arthur collapsed, simply crying, suddenly robbed of all his energy, his entire body shaking with the force of his sobbing. All he really wanted was to hide away in some safe place and never, ever come out again, not until everything had gone back to normal. Not until the world had gone back to the way it had been, with Alina being no more than a princess he was going to marry.

He had no idea how long he sat there like that and, to be quite honest, he could not care less. The rest of the world had ceased to matter. How could anything matter now that his very reason for existing, everything that made his life worth the while, had betrayed him? He sat there on his bed, with his arms folded around his knees, wallowing in self-pity, crying for all that he had lost.

The time started to matter again when he heard the door of his chamber open.

'Dinner!' Merlin's voice said. Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse.

'Get out,' Arthur muttered.

Merlin could not possibly have heard him. But he looked around him, taking in the state of the room. 'What _happened_?' he exclaimed in a shocked voice.

'Alina is a sorceress,' he replied monotonously.

Merlin did not speak for a full minute, but Arthur noticed how pale his servant looked. Oh, that's true, they were best friends. This news must hit Merlin almost as hard as it hit him.

'Merlin, I'm sorry, I should have…,' he begun.

The servant raised his hand and Arthur was struck speechless by the gesture, remembering how it was Alina's trademark for shutting people up. The memory hurt too much.

'I know,' Merlin said.

That got him Arthur's attention. 'You know?' he echoed.

The young man nodded. 'I know,' he confirmed.

'How long?' Arthur demanded. Good heavens, his servant already knew. And he never said anything!

'Almost as soon as she came to Camelot,' he confessed.

Arthur was at a loss at what to feel at this confession. He felt so much. Betrayal, again, because Merlin had protected someone who was using magic. Anger, because he had never trusted him with that knowledge. Hurt, above all, there was hurt. There was so much of it that it nearly choked him. He wasn't sure if he could take it anymore.

It translated into anger. He had to shout. 'How could you, Merlin!' he yelled. 'I thought I could trust you! How could you conspire with a witch!'

'Don't call her that!' Merlin bellowed. There was so much fury in his voice that he fell silent, looking startled at the man he believed was his friend. It turned out he had known him not so well as he had thought. 'How could you even think she was conspiring against you? Ugh, you're such a prat!'

'What do you mean?'

'Are you really as blind as you seem?' the servant demanded. 'She's been helping you, you fool! Ever since she came here, she's never used her magic for anything, save for helping or rescuing your royal butt!'

'That's impossible! Magic is always evil.'

'She proved willing to die for you!'

'She can't have! Nothing good ever comes from practising magic.'

'Well, it does if she's the one doing it!'

Arthur only then noticed the tears in his servant's eyes, saw the true sadness in them. Sadness not unlike the kind he had seen in Alina's eyes. His anger faded away as the pity started to set in. After all, being Alina's closest friend, it was only logical that Merlin would try to defend her.

He stood up. 'Merlin, I'm sorry,' he whispered. 'I should not have shouted at you.'

For a while the servant said nothing. 'How did it happen?' he asked in a hoarse whisper. 'How did they find out?'

'There was a statue falling,' Arthur replied. 'And there was a child sitting right under where it would crash to the ground. She…' He could hardly continue. The memory of that awful moment almost choked him. The commanding voice, the flash of gold in her eyes. 'She made it stop. And then she put the statue back where it came from, like nothing had happened in the first place.'

Something was wrong. Merlin's eyes lit up with anger. 'And you're saying she's conspiring against you?' he yelled.

'Merlin, what else can I think?' Arthur demanded. 'I know you want to believe she still is the friend you believed her to be, but she isn't. Magic does that to people.'

'You are such an idiot!' Merlin shouted, obviously not caring anymore about how he was supposed to treat Arthur. 'She saved a child's life, almost on instinct! Doesn't that tell you something?'

These words struck home. Alina had saved a life using magic. This realisation hit him like a bolt of lightning. He stumbled backwards.

When it all had happened, all he had been able to see was her using magic. He had been taught for too long that magic in itself was evil, so when he saw his fiancée practise this so despised art, he had been unable to think anything else.

It was not until Merlin shouted at him that he realised what it was that she had actually done. She had exposed herself to keep an innocent child from dying. If she had truly been the evil enchantress Arthur had taken her for, why would she have done such a thing? If she was so evil at heart, she could not have cared less about that one child she had no connection to whatsoever. Quite the contrary, she may have caused the statue to fall instead of stopping it. And she had not made it fall, Arthur was certain of that. He had watched her all the time.

Merlin used his inability to speak to continue to tell him what he had seen. 'She has been trying to keep you safe ever since she came here!' he ranted on. 'I lost count of how often she used her magic to keep the bandits of your back. She healed you more times than I even care to remember! Didn't you ever wonder why you always had almost no injuries whatsoever after a heavy fight? Never thought it strange how you only had minor scratches and a sprained ankle after your encounter with Sigan's pets?'

Arthur's jaw dropped. That could not be possible. Of course he had wondered, but never for long. He guessed he had just extraordinary good luck or a guardian angel watching over him. Now Merlin was telling him that he did have that angel, only she was pure flesh and blood.

'That's impossible!' he protested half-heartedly. In the back of his mind he guessed he knew that Merlin was telling the truth here, but the belief that magic was evil was too strong to be just overthrown with a few well-spoken words.

Merlin shook his head. 'Isn't. I was there almost every time, Arthur. I saw her do it.'

'Why would she do such a thing?' Arthur dared him. 'Why on earth would a sorceress risk her life for the son of a king who hates magic? Why would she protect me when we are supposed to be natural enemies?'

'Isn't that obvious?' Merlin said, sounding even surprised.

'No.' His tone added the _of course_ for him without having to say it aloud.

'Because she loves you, you clotpole! That's why.' When he had said that he left the room, tears rolling down his cheeks. Arthur was too speechless to call him back.

**Merlin**

Merlin went straight down to the dungeons. He had to see her. He could hardly believe that no one had informed him of her arrest. Of course it was logical that the king would not do that, but then, Alina herself could have told him over the mind link. She had not done so. He tried to contact her on the way down, but she had closed herself off and did not respond.

The guards stopped him at the bottom of the stair. 'Sorry, Merlin,' the eldest of them, Allan, said. 'We're not allowed to let you see either of them.'

'Allan, please?' he begged.

'They're dangerous, Merlin,' the elderly man said, not unfriendly.

'You know they're not,' he snapped. 'Alina saved a life!'

'I know, Merlin. I saw it. But it doesn't change the fact that she used magic.'

'Please?' he begged.

Allan thought for half a minute and then came to a conclusion. 'Very well,' he said.

Merlin started to smile in relief. 'Oh, thank you! I won't forget this.'

'But, if you're caught, we didn't know,' Allan finished. 'You just slipped past us when we weren't looking.'

He nodded. 'That's all right.'

He ran into the dungeons, finding Alina almost at the other end.

'Alina!' he called in a hushed voice.

The princess had been lying down with her back turned on him, looking to be asleep, but when he called her name, she got up as fast as she could, coming over to him.

'Merlin, you made it!' she said relieved.

'I'm not officially here,' he told her. 'Allan let me through. I don't know how much time we have.'

She nodded. 'I understand.'

He noticed her swollen eye then. 'Who did this to you?'

'Aredian of course,' she said angrily. 'Don't worry, I kicked him somewhere that hurts even more.'

'We have to get you out,' Merlin decided. 'Can't you use your magic to break out?'

'I could do that, but I'm not going to. That will only make me look more suspicious. As it is, I may still get out of this alive.'

'That's ridiculous!' Merlin exclaimed. 'You know how much Uther hates magic. He's not going to let you out, no matter how much he liked you before.'

'That was not what I meant,' she replied calmly. He could not understand why she wasn't panicking right now. She certainly had done exactly that when she had heard that Aredian was coming to Camelot. 'Liking has nothing to do with this. Logic has. Uther does not want war with Connor, so he'll have to keep me alive. For as soon as Connor learns that Uther has had me executed, he'll most certainly declare war.'

Merlin nodded thoughtfully. The thought hadn't occurred to him before, but she was right of course. The king would never risk war over something like that. Say all you like about Camelot's king, but he had always made peace one of his main aims. To risk the stability of the kingdom just for executing one sorceress was something he would probably not do.

'You have been thinking about this,' he concluded.

'I have. Now, we have to get on with more pressing matters. Gaius.'

Right, they still had a mission to do. He took it that since the Witchfinder was not yet occupying one of the neighbouring cells, the mission to tell Uther had backfired spectacularly. That meant that they still had work to do.

'How is he?' he wanted to know.

'He's close to breaking point,' Alina reported grimly. 'Aredian is going to threaten to pick on you if he doesn't confess soon, threatening to arrest you too, so you may want to hurry up. I believe that he is on to us, therefore you'll have to act very quickly.'

'I can do that. We have all the evidence we need.'

'No, you don't,' she contradicted. 'The papers you found? I got a feeling he destroyed them by now. You'll need something more substantial to convince the king.'

He took a few seconds to process that. 'You want me to plant evidence?'

'Precisely,' she said. 'I would have done it myself, but well, since I'm stuck here…' She let her voice trail off.

'I won't let you down,' he promised.

She managed to smile at him, even though it did not quite reach her eyes. 'There's the Merlin I know and love. You'll have to be careful, though.'

'When am I ever not?' he joked.

'This is not funny, Merlin,' she reprimanded him. 'The Witchfinder is a sorcerer himself. The statue in the square? It did not fall of its own account. It was only a moment, but I could swear that his eyes flashed gold and the next moment the stone came down.'

'He's a sorcerer?' Merlin asked in a disbelieving voice. 'I thought you said he was only a fraud?'

'Turns out I was wrong on that one,' she remarked miserably. 'Or rather, legend was. According to the stories he only was a fraud. It wouldn't be the first thing to be a little different, though.'

'Okay, I got that. Now, what do I need to do?'

She glanced around to see if there was no one there and then told him in a hushed voice what needed to be done. 'Go to the apothecary, he has been threatened by Aredian. He is forced to sell the belladonna eye drops to cause the hallucinations. Get him to witness against Aredian. Got that?'

Merlin nodded. 'Yes.'

'Right. You'll need to plant evidence in the Witchfinder's room. Spell the cupboard so that it's filled with magical amulets and belladonna, both petals and eye drops. Got that too?'

'Spelling the cupboard,' he confirmed.

'Right, tomorrow first thing, make sure you get an audience with the king. Morgana can make that happen, I think. Present the king with the evidence and then get him to search Aredian's chamber. Morgana can help with that one as well.'

They started to talk in normal voices again now that the most secret part of the conversation was over. 'You think I should involve Morgana and Gwen in this?'

'Most definitely,' his friend replied immediately. 'The more people back you up, the better it will be. Morgana's support will be invaluable. I'm not sure what Arthur will do, not with what is going on right now. For all I know he hates me now, thinking that everything I ever said is a lie.' Her voice turned sad and bitter at the end of this speech. Merlin could see how much grief this caused her.

He put his hands through the bars to lay them on her shoulders. 'Have you felt it?'

She nodded unhappily. 'There was no blocking it out. I don't believe I have ever felt _anything_ like it in my life.'

'He doesn't hate you,' Merlin told her, not sure if this was the truth.

'He does,' she contradicted. 'I know it.'

'In time he will come to see the truth,' the young warlock insisted.

'And if he doesn't?' she asked sadly.

'Then he is not the friend I believed him to be.'

They were silent for a few minutes, just happy that the other was there. He wished he could pull her in for a hug, but the bars prevented that from happening.

'I need to go back,' Merlin forced himself to say after some minutes of silence.

'You most certainly need to,' a very familiar voice said behind him.

They turned to look in shock to see who had spoken. Neither of them had seen anyone coming, but then, this person had always been very good in sneaking around.

Merlin jumped up. 'Arthur, I can explain…'

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**That was it for today. The next chapter should be up tomorrow. Which brings me to a dilemma, because this fic is getting rather large and I still have lots of ideas. So, should I just continue in this story or should I split it in two, making a sequel of the rest? Please tell me what you think would be best.**


	40. Chapter 40

**Hello everyone, here's chapter 40. I know it's a lot of dialogue, but this really needed to happen and I hope you like it anyway. Just, please read and review. And my question still stands: keep it all in one story or make a sequel? I tend to go with the majority, so let me know.**

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**Chapter 40**

**Arthur**

Arthur had not known what to do when Merlin had left. For five minutes he had just stood there, trying to take in what Merlin had told him about the princess. Alina was a sorceress. Now of course he had known that for a few hours, but Merlin had known much longer. He had known for a year.

The next thing: Alina had been using magic to keep him safe. So of course he had already suspected that the branches falling at the most opportune moments and the bandits always dropping their weapons and tripping over their own feet were no mere coincidence. After his little chat with Alina, only days ago, he had started to believe that maybe this so-called Emrys was responsible for that. And maybe he was, in part. After all, bandits had been getting a branch to the head every now and then even before Alina showed up in Camelot. But in the last year she had always been close when something remarkable happened. Could it be…?

And then there was the fact that he always managed to get out of a fight more or less unscathed. Had she had something to do with that as well? He remembered one particular time. She had only been in Camelot for a few weeks when her brother had come. They had taken him on a hunt. Of course it had been their luck to run into a bunch of bandits. He had been knocked off his horse, his head pounding and hurting like someone was practising his drum solo on it. Alina had poured water over the wound and the pain had disappeared. How come he had not noticed then? It was so obvious now he started to think it over thoroughly.

His mind moved on to the last point Merlin had mentioned, just before he had stormed out of the room angrily. 'She loves you, you clotpole!' his servant had yelled. 'That's why!' the words echoed in his mind. The reason she had risked her life for him, risking exposure and certain death so many times, if Merlin was right, was because she loved him. If Merlin was to believed, it was as simple as that.

Oh, this was unbearable! How was he ever going to get out of this mess? He knew that there was only one way to really be sure: he needed to talk to her.

As soon as that decision was made, he walked to the dungeons. Even if she lied to him, he needed to see her do it. That talk would have to decide whether he would hate her for the rest of his life or would go on loving her till his dying breath. He knew what he wanted. He wanted to love her. Or rather, he didn't want it, but not doing it hurt more than he could bear at the moment.

'Allan,' he greeted the head of the guard.

'Sire. How can I help you?'

'I've come to see princess Alina,' he replied curtly.

'The king's orders…,' the man started hesitantly.

'Allan, step aside and let me through,' Arthur ordered. 'Or I will have to tell my father that you disobeyed my orders.'

'Of course, sire.'

Arthur walked into the dungeons. Who would have believed he would one day walk through them to visit his own fiancée? He could not have come up with something apparently ridiculous like that a week ago. But yet, it happened and Arthur felt absolutely miserable over it.

He stopped when he heard voices around the corner.

'How is he?' Merlin's voice asked.

Alina's voice replied. 'He's close to breaking point. Aredian is going to threaten to pick on you if he doesn't confess soon, threatening to arrest you too, so you may want to hurry up. I believe that he is on to us, therefore you'll have to act very quickly.'

He decided to wait to see where this conversation was going. People, Merlin and Alina specifically, were less careful with their words when they thought no one else was listening. And Arthur needed to hear what they said. Maybe, just maybe, they would say something that would tell him why this was happening and, more importantly, what really was happening.

So he waited as Alina and Merlin discussed the plan to expose Aredian. He was a little shocked when Alina told the servant that he had to plant evidence to strengthen their case. Then he was shocked once again when he heard Alina explain that the Witchfinder indeed was a sorcerer and that he had been the one to drop the statue, probably trying to create a distraction.

Then the strangest thing happened, because Alina said how legend was wrong about something. Now what on earth was that supposed to mean? He could try to decipher the meaning of those words, and he did try, but no reasonable answers came up. There were none.

As he was thinking this over, Merlin and Alina continued their conversation in hushed voices, so that he could not make out more than a few words now and then. Something about belladonna, an apothecary and Aredian's room was all he heard.

But he came to his own conclusions based on this. From what he heard Alina was still, even from within her cell, busy to help Merlin prove Gaius' innocence and expose Aredian in the process. She would expose someone of her own kind. Why would she do that if she hated Camelot and all its inhabitants?

The answer popped into his head directly after. 'Well, I told you, whoever picks on my friends has just assured himself of having a very big problem,' Alina had said only that morning. Had that been the truth? Was she still trying to protect her friends, even after all they put her through? He found he had difficulty believing that.

His attention returned to the conversation when he heard his name mentioned.

'I'm not sure what Arthur will do, not with what is going on right now. For all I know he hates me now, thinking that everything I ever said is a lie.' That was Alina's voice.

'Have you felt it?' Merlin asked.

'There was no blocking it out,' the sorceress replied. 'I don't believe I have ever felt _anything_ like it in my life.'

What on earth were they talking about? Well, he guessed he wasn't getting any answers from thinking it over, so he simply added the question to the many he had already piled up, saving it for later, and kept his attention at the conversation that was still going on.

Merlin now, of course, tried to deny that, but Alina was not so easily fooled. So Merlin went for a different approach that the hate would fade in time.

The sorceress did not buy that either. 'And if he doesn't?' she asked in a small voice.

Merlin sounded more sure of himself when he answered. 'Then he is not the friend I believed him to be.'

As both of them fell silent, Arthur felt another pang going through his chest. Merlin did not believe him to be a good man, a forgiving man. That lack of trust _hurt_. But then, he was very angry with Alina. Had it become hatred? Both of them seemed to think it was. Was it? He couldn't really tell.

He was angry, true. He was furious, absolutely. He was confused, above all. Hurt had dominated until Merlin started his lecture, but ever since then, it had been mostly confusion. He had no idea what to feel and think anymore, not when there was so much that could be thought and felt.

'I need to go back,' he heard Merlin say.

It was a spur of the moment decision to step into sight and say: 'You most certainly need to.'

The pair of them looked at him, horror-struck. It was obvious that they had not heard him coming, for which he was grateful.

Merlin was the first to recover. 'Arthur, I can explain…,' he begun.

'Shut up, Merlin,' he told his servant.

'But…'

'Why don't you go and visit Gaius?' he suggested.

'Isn't that forbidden?' Merlin asked, confused.

'Not when I allow it. Now, go.'

'Right, sire,' he said before hurrying past him, glancing one last time at Alina, apparently unsure if he could leave her. The sorceress nodded slightly and Merlin disappeared.

Arthur sat himself on the ground. On the other side of the bars Alina did the same.

'You want to talk to me,' she concluded.

'No, I want you to talk to me,' he corrected. 'Tell me, what is true of what Merlin has said?'

She looked thoughtful. 'I have no idea what Merlin has told you.'

'That you used your powers to protect me, to heal me?'

'Ah, that. Well, that's true,' she said reluctantly.

He noticed that she seemed to be unwilling to give that information. 'Why so hesitant, Alina?' he snapped. 'Don't you want to claim the glory for your deeds?'

'You're intolerable, Arthur Pendragon!' she snapped back. 'If you know me at all you know how much I hate being in the middle of all the attention!'

'But I don't know you, do I?' he retorted, very nearly shouting now. He had not planned on doing that, but it just happened, like it had back in his room. All this confusion translated too easily into anger. 'For all I know you're not even Alina at all!'

'You're right,' the sorceress said. 'I am not.'

That struck him speechless. He had not even meant it in that way. He was just saying something, and even if he meant it, he had been referring to her character, not to her as a person.

She saw his confusion, probably written all over his face. 'But then, you figured out as much, didn't you?' she said in a sad voice.

'Alina, what are you talking about?' he demanded. 'I didn't even mean it like that.'

'That doesn't make it any less true, though. And I think you know it too. The girl you knew as Alina had green eyes, hadn't she?'

He nodded. 'Yes. But Gaius said it could happen that the eye colour changes.'

'Gaius was trying to protect me.'

'So, you're telling me… what? That you're a complete stranger?'

'No, not exactly…'

'Well, I've obviously kind of known you for the last year, if that's what you're referring to…'

'That's not what I'm referring to and if you stopped jumping to conclusions and just listened for once in your life, I can explain it,' she snapped again. She waited until he had reluctantly nodded before she continued. 'We met before that. It's years ago, when we were both children.'

They had met before? When on earth would he have met this blue-eyed girl? As far as he knew Alina had always had green eyes. He had never seen these eyes until he rescued her in the woods.

'What do you mean?' he demanded impatiently. 'You're not making any sense!'

'You know,' she said confidently. 'We were running around the castle and the woods, pretending that we were having all kinds of adventures.'

He remembered now. But that could not be true, could it?

'I even told you my name,' she said.

He bended closer, studying the eyes. It was impossible, wasn't it? But there was not much room for doubt. He knew she was telling the truth. Her eyes were the same he had seen in the familiar face all those years ago, eyes as blue as the clear summer sky.

'Lynn?' he asked hesitantly.

**Alina**

She could not help but smile when he finally recognized her. 'Took you long enough,' she muttered. 'I thought you would know as soon as you first laid eyes on me.'

The prince blinked a few times in utter confusion. All his anger seemed to have faded away. Alina was glad. She hated it when he looked at her like that.

'How's that possible?' he demanded. 'How come you're in, well, her body?'

'Magic,' she replied. 'Of course. Alina hated her own life and she wanted mine, so she used a spell that made us swap bodies as soon as she was knocked on the head again.'

'So, what, she has your body now?'

Alina shrugged. 'I guess so.'

'You've never gone back to check?' Arthur asked in a disbelieving voice.

She remembered now that he may know her real name, but not the other small detail. 'That might be a little difficult,' she explained. 'Seen as she happens to live in the twenty-first century now.'

Arthur's jaw dropped. 'You… what?' he stuttered incoherently.

'I was living in the twenty-first century before my counterpart transported me here,' she went on, not sure if she should, because the prince looked like he had just seen a ghost. She was a little afraid he would faint any moment now. The connection told her that her destiny was still mostly confused.

'Arthur?' she asked in a worried voice. 'Are you all right?'

'Twenty-first?' he echoed.

She nodded. 'Yes.'

'And she used a spell to make you swap bodies?'

'Yes.'

'How's that even possible?'

'I wish I knew,' she confessed. 'But she destroyed the book in which the spell was written and I have none of her memories, so I honestly couldn't tell.'

Arthur was still busy catching his breath. 'Could you tell me?'

And so she told him everything, from the dreams she had as a little girl and the moments of control over the body she now inhabited until the moment she had first woken in this time and place. Arthur listened to the tale without interrupting, not because he didn't want to, but because he was, for once, completely stunned. She could feel the curiosity, mingled with a healthy dose of fear, pulse through their connection.

'So,' he said when she was finally done. 'You had no magic there?'

She shook her head. 'As far as I knew no one had. Magic is the stuff of legends and fairy tales.'

'There isn't any magic where you come from?'

She shrugged. 'Not that I know of, at least. I'm sure your father would love it there,' she joked, not entirely sure if that was the appropriate thing to do. She could sense no more anger, but that did not mean it could not return if she said something wrong. And she did not want to make any more mistakes. She could not bear for him to hate her like he had in the past hours. It hurt too much.

'I'm sure,' the prince muttered, clearly thinking. 'What did you mean when you said to Merlin that legend was wrong about something? What legend?'

'The Arthurian legend,' she replied.

'The _what_?'

'The legend that deals with everything that happens here, has happened here and will happen here as long as you live,' she explained. 'Where I come from, you are the stuff of legend.' All right, that may have been just a little too much. Arthur looked like he was about to pass out. 'Oh, come on, don't look so surprised. Surely you have heard Merlin talk about things like destiny and you being the Once and Future King?'

Arthur gave her a blank face.

'Or maybe not,' she observed. 'Anyway, you're destined to be the greatest king that has ever lived or will ever live. No pressure, of course.'

Arthur's expression resembled that of a fish on dry land. Had the situation not been so serious, she was sure she would have laughed. It looked rather ridiculous.

'Arthur, you know it's a good thing to keep breathing, don't you?' she checked.

That woke him up. 'Of course!' he snapped.

'Listen, Arthur, I can hardly blame you for being angry with me. You have every right to. But I want you to know that the only subjects I ever lied about are my magic and my background. In everything else I have been truthful. I swear on my life.'

He looked her straight in the eyes. Even though she felt nervous and scared, she did not look away. He had to know she meant every word. The silence and staring seemed to drag on forever, but in the end Arthur spoke again. 'You're telling the truth.' It wasn't a question, but a conclusion.

She nodded. 'Heaven knows that I wanted to tell, but I wasn't sure that I could. I was afraid that you would react… well, in the way you did react.'

He frowned. 'When you were talking to Merlin earlier, you said you knew how I felt. Is that magic too?'

'I guess,' she said. 'It's very strange, but it seemed to have been brought about the first time I healed you, after you were knocked from your horse by those bandits, remember? Well, every time I do that, there seemed to be a bond, a connection growing between us. I always have this sense of where you are, which is quite handy when you managed to get your royal backside into trouble again. The other thing about this connection is that I have this notion of your mood and emotions. That's why I could tell that you were angry.'

She did not mind explaining to him one bit, but she started to worry about him. He was as pale as a sheet, which could not be healthy.

Arthur appeared to think this over. 'You healed me?'

'Yes.'

'How often?'

'I don't know exactly. I've lost count. Didn't keep count, to begin with.'

His next action shocked her. He took his dagger, not a trace of humour in his eyes. 'Then show me!' he commanded.

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**Yes, I know that's another cliff-hanger. I don't know why I do it so much, it just happens. Oh, and please review?**


	41. Chapter 41

**And here's the next chapter. Enjoy and let me know what you think!**

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**Chapter 41**

**Arthur**

Arthur had too much surprises in one day. The first surprise: Aredian was a fraud. The second: Alina was a sorceress and Merlin had known that all along. The third: Alina had apparently saved his life time and again. The fourth: the Alina he had come to know over the past year was no other than the blue-eyed girl named Lynn. The fifth: she had been transported from the twenty-first century to Camelot. The sixth: everything that happened here was in her time apparently a famous legend. And the final and seventh surprise: Alina had a bond with him, which made her capable of sensing his whereabouts and emotions.

Camelot's prince had never loved surprises. To be quite honest, he hated them. Besides, there had been too much talking and too little proof. The first two surprises were more or less proven, but the rest was still as vague as it had ever been. And if Alina, or Lynn (he was at a loss as to what he was supposed to call her), had healed him before, she could do that again. And he wanted to see it.

So he took his dagger and showed it to her. 'Then show me!' he ordered.

She backed away in fear. 'What are you doing?' she asked warily.

'Getting you to prove it to me.'

'I'm sorry, _what_…?'

He did not await her reaction, but simply thrust his dagger into his left upper leg. Oh, dear, that hurt. That hurt a lot. But he tried to focus on Alina, or Lynn, instead of on his very injured leg.

'Arthur!' she shrieked, her expression one of absolute horror. 'What are you _doing_?'

_Isn't that obvious?_ He pulled the knife out again, which hurt even more, but he forced himself not to look at the wound. He was not sure he would remain fully conscious at all, let alone when he saw all that blood. He did not mind seeing blood, save when it was his own. Then he couldn't stand it. He felt a little dizzy and had trouble staying upright.

Alina rushed back as far as she could, holding out her hand through the bars over his injured leg. Her eyes flashed gold as she started chanting a spell in that language Arthur had heard so often come out of the mouths of evil sorcerers. He now wondered why he had not noticed immediately that this woman was different from them. All those who used their magic to attack Camelot, had sounded commanding and hateful. Alina's voice was commanding, too, but it was also caring, reassuring. It was like the dream he had after Sigan's attack. He surrendered to it, trusting her.

He realised that this was the answer he had been looking for. He still trusted her. But she had herself to thank for that. If she hadn't come to him to heal him, he might have hated her for all eternity, because she would have proven herself to be no different from all those other magic-users who plotted against Camelot. But she had come to him, almost immediately after he had stabbed himself.

He knew now that she had healed him before, but this was the first time he actually saw it happening. The bleeding stopped and the skin grew back over the wound, not leaving as much as a scar to remind him of what had just happened. It was like a miracle. How powerful would she be to achieve something like this?

He was still studying his no-longer-existing wound when a hand slapped him hard across the face. When he looked up he saw Alina's face. Correction: her furious face.

'You royal imbecile!' she snapped. 'What on earth were you thinking?'

'I was getting you to show me how you healed me,' he replied.

'And you couldn't have chosen something a little less drastic?' Arthur knew that look. She was absolutely not amused with him now. It was her run-and-hide look, as Merlin had started calling it.

'You probably wouldn't have done it if it was just a scratch,' he shrugged.

'You're intolerable,' she told him.

'So you keep telling me,' he smiled at her.

She smiled back, a little hesitantly at first, but wider as she realised he was no longer angry with her.

'Sometimes I keep wondering whether you have a death wish,' she said.

'No, I thought you were the one having that,' he retorted, referring that she was the one in the dungeons for a crime that was punishable by death. No matter how much good she had done, that would not matter to his father. Magic only had one face to him: the evil one.

She shook her head. 'Uther won't kill me,' she said confidently.

'How come you're so sure?' he demanded.

'Because he has no ambition whatsoever to get caught up in a war. What do you think Connor would do if he found out that your father had me executed?'

'He'd declare war without delay,' Arthur understood.

'Exactly.'

'So, Lynn…'

She raised her hand. 'That's not my name anymore.'

Now he was confused. Oh, well, he should be used to that by now. 'I thought you said…?'

She even laughed now all the troubling matters were out of the way. It could have been a normal day, were it not that this conversation was taking place in the dungeons, with one of them behind the bars.

'That was my name _there_,' she clarified. 'But I've been told that Alina was the name I was destined to have.'

'Right,' he said, trying his hardest to keep up. He had the idea he was failing in that quest. There was so much information to take in! 'Told by whom?'

'You know Merlin and I have this mutual friend that we keep referring to?'

'Yes?'

'He told me.'

'And who is he?'

She bit her lip. 'I'm not sure I can tell you without you either fainting or going mad,' she confessed.

He started to laugh, when he realised that this was not a joke. She was serious. 'Hang on, you're serious?'

'As serious as serious goes.'

'If I promise not to faint or go mad?' he tried.

'You're curious, Arthur Pendragon,' she teased. 'All right, it's the Great Dragon.'

For a moment there was just nothing as he tried to take in what she had just said. And then: 'The. Great. Dragon?'

She nodded. 'And you and Merlin know him? How on earth did that happen?'

'Merlin and I share a destiny,' she explained. 'To protect you. He thinks it's in his best interest if we succeed, so that's why he's been giving us advice from time to time.' She shrugged. 'He's very cryptic, though, and not to mention hugely irritating. He tends to fly off whenever we say something he does not like. I can only imagine his anger at him finding out I've managed to get myself in the dungeons. Poor Merlin.'

'Merlin knows him, too?' He could not yet decide what to think of this. He had heard a lot in the last hour, but if he read between the lines, he could sense that Merlin was as much a part of the Protecting Arthur Brigade as she was. But Merlin could not hold a sword to save his own life, let alone anyone else's. And if he was in contact with the dragon, a magical being, could that mean he himself was one too?

That thought was not as strange as it once would have been. When Aredian announced Merlin to be the sorcerer, he had not been truly surprised. He thought it a reasonable explanation for all his good luck. And if Alina and Merlin shared a destiny, that made it all sound even more plausible.

'Merlin knew him first,' Alina corrected. 'He's been here longer.'

'Alina?'

'Yes?'

'That dream I had after Sigan's attack?'

She nodded. 'Yes, what about it?'

'It wasn't a dream, was it?'

He saw her hesitating, only for a second, but that was all he needed. So, it had been the truth. Merlin had been the one to defeat Sigan, with magic. But he was glad that he had not learned it back then. He would have put Merlin through the same hell Alina was going through at the moment. He had only been helping. Arthur remembered every word Merlin had spoken to Sigan, each and every word proving how loyal the young sorcerer was. He could not have him arrested, not after that.

Alina forced her face back into a smile. 'How many times must I advise you to stay clear of the cider, Arthur?'

'Not working this time, Alina,' he told her. 'Don't worry, I'm not throwing his ass in jail. Heaven knows he deserves it for being such a worthless servant, but I'm not going to.'

'Look who's changed his tune,' she observed.

'Stop sounding so pleased with yourself, Alina.' He decided to move to the conversation to a different subject. 'Anything else about you that I need to know?'

She thought about that. 'Ehm… I can talk with Merlin with my thoughts?' she tried. 'That something worth knowing?'

And here he was thinking he had heard everything there was to hear. 'You… what? How?'

_Like this_, she smiled.

It took him a few seconds to realise that she had not spoken out loud. He shook his head a few times to get the voice out. _What on earth…!_

_You're shouting,_ she told him.

'Am I?' he asked aloud.

'Very loudly,' she confirmed. 'Right, and as much as I love to sit here and talk, there's still a Witchfinder to be caught. Merlin knows what needs doing, but he definitely can use some of your help.'

'Right.' He got up. He hated to leave, but Alina had reminded him of a duty he had to perform. It had been pushed from his mind by this morning's events, but it still needed doing. 'I'm sorry you can't be there,' he said, realising he meant it.

She smiled. 'Don't worry, I'll be there,' she said, pointing at his head.

'Right,' he said again. This was going to be confusing.

**Merlin**

Merlin had done everything Alina had told him to do. The man that Aredian had forced to sell the belladonna had confessed and he was prepared to witness if Merlin could guarantee his safety. Merlin had promised him that he would not be harmed, no matter what. He may have forgotten to mention the little detail that this insurance was only valid if the Witchfinder was exposed and arrested.

He had also rounded up the women that Aredian had used as witnesses. The belladonna tincture and leaves were in his pockets and he had planted the evidence in the room. He went over the checklist over and over again, but he could not think of anything that he might have been forgotten.

_That's because you haven't forgotten anything_, Alina's voice in his head told him.

_Alina?_ He had not heard of her since he left the dungeons last night and he had to confess he was starting to worry. Arthur had been very taciturn too, but Merlin knew that Alina had at least gotten him to arrange the audience with the king.

The prince now stood next to his father, face solemn, arms folded over his chest. He looked like he had not gotten much sleep last night. Well, that made two of them. Merlin had been busy all night.

_The one and only_, she confirmed. _How are you holding up?_

_I'm fine_, he lied. The truth was that the nerves were killing him, but there was no need to worry his friend any more than she already did.

_Liar_. As if there was ever any chance of deceiving her.

_What if the king doesn't believe me? What if he thinks I'm just fabricating this story to get Gaius out?_

_It'll all be fine_, she reassured him. _You've got Arthur and Morgana backing you up. The king will not go so easily against them. Besides, you always have the proof. Even Aredian can't talk his way out of a cupboard full of magical bracelets._

Her calm mental voice calmed him a little. If she believed this possible, so would he. _What does legend say about this?_

He could almost see her smile as she replied_. Legend places this event a little later in time, _she replied._ But it also states that this is going to work. Uther simply cannot deny all this evidence._

_Even though it is fake? _Merlin wondered.

_Uther doesn't know that. Think it's best to keep it that way, don't you think?_

Merlin had to return his attention to the situation at hand as Uther rose from his throne and addressed him. 'What is it you wanted to bring to my attention?' he asked, not unfriendly.

Merlin took a deep breath. 'I am here to prove Gaius' innocence, sire,' he replied.

He saw a spark of interest in the king's eyes.

_That's because he doesn't want to believe Gaius is a sorcerer_, Alina explained. _He wants your words to be true, so he'll believe you sooner._

'Then please continue,' Uther said.

He took a deep breath and started. 'It is my belief that Gaius is being set up.' He glanced at Arthur and the prince nodded in encouragement.

'And what proof do you have of this?' the kind demanded. 'Remember that there are witnesses.'

_Here's your chance_, Alina told him.

And he jumped at it. 'Sire, the witnesses saw nothing but hallucinations induced by the belladonna in these eye drops,' he explained.

Aredian glared at him. Surely the Witchfinder sensed where this was going. But Merlin was not going to stop now. He had come too far for that. Gaius' life depended on this and he swore that he was not going to fail him. So he walked a few steps forward and handed the king the small bottle for him to study.

'And you bought this belladonna from this man?' Uther asked, talking to the witnesses and beckoning to the apothecary, who looked like he would prefer any place in the world over this one right now. The man was genuinely scared of the Witchfinder, Merlin knew.

All three women nodded. They did not look much more comfortable here then the apothecary.

'Where did you get it from?' Uther asked in a stern voice.

The apothecary seemed to shrink a few centimetres, looking around him as if desperate for an escape, which might not be far from the truth.

'Don't be afraid,' Uther commanded. Typical, ordering someone not to be scared. Merlin could not see how that ever was going to work. 'No harm will come to you here.' Nothing was said about no harm coming to him outside the castle, Merlin observed. He just hoped the apothecary did not notice this as well. The man was frightened enough as it was.

'The Witchfinder,' he replied.

There were shocked whispers through the entire hall as people heard him accuse the Witchfinder of framing the court physician. The king's eyes widened in surprise, while Aredian's narrowed in anger.

'He gave them to me,' the apothecary stated.

'Did he tell you what it was for?' Uther asked.

'No,' the frightened man said. 'Only that if I did not sell it, he would have me burned at the stake.' This caused more shocked whispers.

_So far, so good_, Alina commented.

_Really?_

_Exactly as legend says. This is going well, Merlin, very well._

'How do you answer to these accusations?' The king now turned to Aredian.

'They're absurd!' the Witchfinder exclaimed. Merlin did not know if it was only his imagination, but he found the voice of the man sound strangely strained, as if he was working his hardest to sound offended. 'The boy has clearly concocted these lies in the hope of saving his master.'

This was not going well. This was not going well at all. There was too much truth in his words. The king would believe Aredian over him, Merlin knew it.

_Suggest searching his chamber!_ Alina ordered.

He obeyed without thinking, clinging to it as the last straw. 'Then you won't mind if we search your chamber, will you?'

'Silence!' Uther shouted. 'You have no authority here!'

For a moment he was afraid that this was the end of it. The king looked so angry that he was sure he would end up occupying the cell next to Alina's for this, but then Arthur spoke up.

'Father,' the prince said, walking over to Merlin. 'Let's settle this for once and for all. If what Merlin says is wrong, he must bear the consequences. But if there is some truth in what he says, wouldn't you agree that we must at least investigate these accusations?'

Merlin held his gaze locked on the Witchfinder, not daring to look at Uther for fear of what he might see there. There was no fear in his eyes anymore. Merlin guessed that was because he did not know what had happened in his chamber. He took that as a good omen.

There was silence for a few moments as all eyes in the room turned to Aredian. The Witchfinder shrugged. 'I have nothing to hide,' he said.

_Got you!_ Alina thought triumphantly.

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**Next chapter should be up tomorrow! **


	42. Chapter 42

**Hello everyone. I have nothing to say, just read and review and have a good day.**

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**Chapter 42**

**Alina**

It was a strange thing to look through someone else's eyes, but Alina did not have too much trouble adjusting to this situation. She only felt frustrated because she could not be there in person, as she would have wanted so badly. But no, she had to get herself arrested and now she had to deal with the consequences, this being one of them.

It was true what she had said to Merlin. She did not fear for her life, not really. The worst Uther could do to her without risking war was banishing her. But this had become her main worry, because how on earth was she supposed to protect Arthur if she was nowhere near him? Sure, there was still Merlin to keep him safe and she did not doubt that he would do a very good job. After all, he had saved Arthur's backside more than once before she showed up. But it was her destiny to be at Arthur's side and when exiled, that might prove to be a little difficult.

The other side of this was where she was supposed to go. She did not doubt that Connor would take her in, but that would take her hundreds of miles away from Camelot. If there was one thing she was certain of she could not do, it was that. Camelot had become her home and she could not bear to be so far away from it.

She was pondering all these things while the whole party walked to Aredian's chamber. The Witchfinder himself was taciturn, but very dangerous looking nonetheless. Ugh, she still got freaked out by him, especially now that she had learned he had magic, too. In the series he had been dangerous enough without that and she had not believed that reality could top that. Turned out that she had been wrong on that one. Who would have believed that the man truly was a sorcerer? Well, all this proved was that he was even a bigger ass than she had already believed him to be.

_Are you sure this is going to work?_ Arthur thought.

She had chosen to look at the events mostly through his eyes, mainly because he provided the best view. She skipped back to talk to Merlin every now and then and that was disorientating. Looking at the same situation from another point of view was weird at best.

_Positive_, she replied. _Trust me, Merlin has assured me that everything is in place._

_Magically?_ Arthur tried.

_Told you, keep away from the alcohol_, she joked, but she knew how forced and strained it sounded. She had been given the shock of a lifetime when she saw Arthur realise that the dream about Sigan was no dream at all. She had feared for Merlin's life and tried to joke her way out of it, but the prince had not let it go. He was sure he was right on this one, but he had not acted on this knowledge. Could it be that he was going to take this news better than she might have ever dreamed to be possible?

_Told you, that is not going to work this time_, he retorted. _And you denying it over and over again only makes me more certain._

She decided to give up. She wasn't exactly succeeding in fooling him, so she might as well drop it. _Fine. You're not angry, then?_

_About having not one, but two protectors with magic?_

_You certainly were freaking out when you discovered mine, not twenty-four hours ago_, she reminded him. _What makes you react so different when it comes to Merlin? Not that you hear me complain_, she added quickly.

_Knowing what you both did, I guess. And I'm not angry with you anymore._

_I guessed as much. I doubt you would have let me watch through your eyes if that had not been the case_, she remarked dryly.

_So, back to my first question, Merlin magically planted this evidence?_ Arthur really was not in the mood for letting things pass unquestioned, she observed.

_Of course. How else?_

_That's not knightly behaviour_, he commented, sounding a bit disapproving.

She laughed. _Neither of us are knights and we had to come up with some way to expose him. It's not like we're framing an innocent. We know he is a sorcerer and an evil one at that. Who knows how many innocent people he has executed over the years? I'd say it's about time he got a taste of his own medicine: a one-way ticket to the stake._

The prince thought this over. _Oh, right, he's trying to hurt your friends. That's what made you hate him so much_, he understood.

_Even if he hadn't framed Gaius or dropped the statue, I still would have wanted him gone,_ she told him. _Not necessarily dead, then, but I would want to make sure that he could never, ever hurt anyone again._

They had arrived at Aredian's chamber then and Uther ordered the guards to search it. Alina felt almost smug as they turned the place over, albeit more careful than they had done Gaius' place. Hypocrites. Just because Aredian was a guest of the king's.

'You're wasting your time,' Aredian said, looking disapproving at the mess that was being made.

_Tell them to open the cupboard next to the window_, Alina told him.

_Why?_

_Just do it, will you?_ she said, feeling a little irritated.

'The cupboard over there,' Arthur pointed out to the guards. _How on earth can you know where he hid the evidence, Alina? It's not like he had the chance to tell you._

_Nope, legend is just very specific_, she explained.

That shut him up nicely. He had no idea how specific legend was, but she had a feeling that telling him would make him suffer a heart attack and that they could not have.

She focused on the room again, watching as the guards opened said cupboard. Dozens of magical amulets came falling out, identical to the one found in Gaius' jar. And if you could see past the amulets, you could see that the rest of cabinet was filled with little bottles of belladonna.

_Good work_, she though approvingly.

Arthur looked at his father and Morgana, both of whom looked positively shocked, which made Alina feel even better.

_He's not going to be able to talk his way out of this_, she told the shocked prince, although he was shocked for another reason. He was upset by the idea that it was so easy to frame somebody using magic like that. She could feel doubt coming through their bond as he wondered if she had done that before.

_Of course not_, she told him. _I hope you know me better than that._

_Sometimes I don't know what to think anymore_, he thought back at her.

_I would never frame an innocent_, she stated. _Never._

Aredian walked over to the amulets, shocked expression also on his face. 'These things don't belong to me!' he exclaimed.

_True_, Alina thought happily. _But who's going to believe you now, eh?_

'This is a trick!' the Witchfinder shouted and doubtlessly he had much more to say, but a sudden cough stopped him from doing so. It did not prevent him, however, from walking back to them. Arthur drew his sword.

Aredian pointed at Merlin, who looked, there was no other word for it, smug. 'That boy plots against me!' he managed to say, before surrendering to the coughing. He had trouble staying upright, holding on to a chair for support, his whole body shaking with the force of his coughs.

_What's going on?_ Arthur demanded.

_You'll see_, Alina told him. Even though the situation was serious, she could not help but feel amused. She had not told Merlin to do this, but Merlin was more than clever enough to come up with it himself.

It was a bit disgusting to see, however, how the toad came out of the Witchfinder's mouth. The slimy beast sat on the ground for a few seconds before hopping away unhindered, stared after by all those present, including Aredian. It moved down the corridor and disappeared out of sight, after which everyone returned their attention to the now not so confident Witchfinder.

_What on earth!_ Arthur mentally shouted at her.

She could not help but smile. _A bit overdone_, she admitted. _But I liked it. Oh, come on, Arthur, don't tell me you did not think that funny._

_Right, a bit_. She could hear the lie. Once he had recovered from the shock he actually quite liked it.

'Sorcerer!' Uther exclaimed, drawing his own sword.

She had almost forgotten what was about to happen and she only recalled it now. _Get to Morgana!_ she shouted.

Too late, Aredian had already dragged Morgana at her arm, now holding a dagger against her throat. Morgana looked positively frightened.

'Aredian, think carefully about what you're doing,' Uther warned him. 'You'll never escape from Camelot alive.'

_Okay, Alina, what now?_ Arthur thought at her.

Her thoughts worked at top speed. _Where's Merlin? _she demanded. She needed Arthur to turn his head. She could only see what he saw and there was no time to skip between their heads now to locate her best friend.

Arthur turned his head swiftly and they saw the servant standing pushed against the door, unable to get a good view, because of the tall guard that was standing very much in the way. In legend's way, even worse.

She moaned. _Merlin's out of reach! I _hate_ legend!_

He then suggested something she would never have come up with in the first place. _Can you do magic like this? _he demanded._ Send your powers through me?_

_I don't know, I've never tried before. I don't know if it's even possible._

Aredian was backing away, taking Morgana with him. 'I will if you value the life of your ward,' he said, smirking. Ugh, she hated the man.

_You'll have to make it possible, then. Try, Alina!_

She did not think. She just acted, like she had in the courtyard when she stopped the statue in mid-air. _Forbærnan_, she thought, pouring all her will and power into it, willing it through Arthur, sending it at the dagger. She cast the spell over and over again in a matter of seconds.

For a moment she saw Aredian stare at Arthur, disbelief obvious in his eyes. She then knew it had worked. Aredian would only look like that if he saw Arthur's eyes flash gold, because _that _was unexpected.

The next moment proved the truth of that thought, for the dagger started glowing, burning from the inside, the immense heat causing Aredian to grunt in pain and drop the dagger.

_Now!_ she thought at Arthur.

She did not need to say it twice. Arthur already charged forward, using his bodyweight to push the Witchfinder as far away from Morgana as possible. The force of it sent Aredian stumbling backwards, tripping over a box standing there.

Arthur prepared to strike, but Alina warned him to wait. _He'll do fine falling out of the window himself_, she told him. _He doesn't need your help._

_What…?_

His question answered itself, for Aredian could not keep his balance, falling back first against the window, that had not been made to hold against such violence. It broke and as it did, the Witchfinder fell. Arthur and Uther watched, as did Alina, as the fraud and sorcerer fell down to the floor, but she did not watch the part where he actually came down. She so not needed to see that.

_Your knowledge is starting to worry me a little_, Arthur commented.

_That's what Merlin keeps telling me, too._

_Well, I'd hate to admit, but for once, he's completely right,_ the prince thought back at her.

**Arthur**

Guards had run down to release Gaius from the dungeons and remove Aredian's broken body from the stones. His father had decreed that it had to be burned as soon as possible, without any ceremonials. Arthur believed this to be no more than reasonable. Just like Alina said, who knows how many innocent people he had executed over the years. The man was a fraud and an evil sorcerer.

Arthur had never believed that one day he would see the difference between a sorcerer and an evil sorcerer, but now he did. He only had to look at Alina and Merlin to tell that there definitely was a difference.

The last few hours had been a chaos. First there had been Merlin's audience with the king. Arthur would never admit it, but he had been proud of his servant. Merlin presented all the evidence in a calm voice, applying to his father's common sense and logic instead of his compassion, even though Arthur knew he must be greatly distressed with both his mentor and his best friend locked up because of Aredian.

Then they had gone to search the Witchfinder's chambers. All the while Alina had been there, somewhere in the back of his head, talking to and with him. It was still a strange sensation to have her voice inside his head, but it was something he got used to after some time.

The evidence Merlin had planted had been discovered, mostly because of Alina, who had pointed out the cupboard. Aredian had of course tried to deny the contents of that cupboard, in vain, since he also coughed up a toad shortly after that. That had been the surprise of the day. Arthur had been struck absolutely speechless.

Well, it would have been the surprise of the day, he reflected, had it not been for what happened next. A huge guard had prevented Merlin from doing what he, according to Alina, had to do and no one else in the room had been able to use magic. Save for one.

Arthur had no idea where it had come from. He only knew that the only person, besides Merlin, who could save the situation, was hiding in the back of his head. And since she could do so many other mind tricks, then maybe she could pull off this one as well. Use magic through his body. She had confessed she did not know if she could do it, but she had decided to give it a try.

That had been the strangest sensation Arthur had ever felt. He could feel her cast the magic, could hear her mentally shout the word _Forbærnan _with everything she had. He could sense her doubt, but there had been no need for that. The power had rushed through him, pouring out to the dagger she was enchanting.

The power had felt strange, but it felt like her and somehow it had felt good. And he guessed it felt like that because she used it for good. After all, Aredian had been defeated and they did it together. He felt proud of what they had achieved and could not possibly get rid of the idea that this was how it was meant to be.

And now he stood with his father in Aredian's room, taking in the mess. The king had sat himself down on a chair.

'I scarcely believe it,' he muttered.

'Alina knew from the beginning there was something wrong with him,' Arthur said.

'Don't you dare speak that witch's name!' his father exclaimed.

Something inside of him started boiling. 'She's not a witch!' he found himself saying. 'She possesses magic, yes, but that does not make her evil!'

'That's exactly what makes her so!' Arthur could tell that his father felt passionately about this.

He realised that the words coming out of the king's mouth were the same ones he could have been using when he found out about Alina's magic. He had sounded so prejudiced and blind only a day ago. It wasn't until he heard them being said by his father that he realised how blinded he himself had been. How could he not have seen immediately that her act had been one of mercy rather than one of hate?

'Aredian was the one to bring down the statue,' Arthur replied, choosing his words carefully. 'And that was the act of the evil sorcerer. Alina used her powers to prevent an innocent child from being killed and that was the act of the good sorceress.'

'Your love for this girl has blinded you, Arthur,' his father told him.

'That's not true!' he protested. 'You are blinded by your hatred of magic, so blinded that you can no longer see the truth!' He had not meant to shout, but somehow it had just happened. Just like it somehow had happened that he was on his feet. Last he checked he had been in a chair. 'You hear the word magic and you no longer listen! If you just looked at what she's done, you'd understand that she has only ever been using her magic for the good of Camelot.'

'That's impossible!'

'She has been saving my life more times than I can remember!' Arthur shouted. He had a feeling this conversation was going down a very dangerous path. 'She defeated Sigan, the troll and did a great deal in exposing Aredian.' He made the first two up as he went along, just guessing really. But that was not the point now. If this would help his father see reason, it would be worth it. 'She has been keeping bandits off my back and healing me when I did get hurt. Why would she do such things if she was truly evil at heart?'

'Do not pretend to know the mind of a sorceress. They'll make you trust them, even pretend to protect and aid you, but when your guard is down, they'll stab you in the back, Arthur. Don't you ever forget that.' Arthur had a feeling that his father was referring to something that had happened to him in the past, something that caused him to hate magic the way he did.

'Father, I will not deny that there are sorcerers who act like this,' he replied carefully. 'The Witchfinder is a good example of that. But remember that Alina has been trying to expose him. She has been trying to protect us from his evil schemes!'

'Silence!' the king shouted. 'I will hear no more of this. The witch will burn at the stake, at dawn tomorrow.'

'Father!' he exclaimed in disbelief. 'You can't do that! Not after all that she has done for Camelot!'

'I can do this,' Uther reminded him. 'There is only one punishment for using magic in Camelot and she will suffer it. And you will obey me!'

This could not be happening. This must be a nightmare of some kind. Had his father lost his mind? Had he forgotten how much he had liked Alina?

Oh dear, she had been so certain that nothing like this would ever happen. She had been so calm, so peaceful. She had chosen not to make a run for it, because she trusted that the king would do the right thing in the end. Fury rushed through him as he understood how misplaced her trust was.

'Is this worth risking war over?' he demanded, using the only reason that he knew stood a chance in this argument. 'Connor will most certainly declare war once he learns you executed his beloved sister.'

His father turned to look at him. Arthur was taken completely by surprise by the furious look he saw on his face. 'I have a good mind to declare war on him myself!' the king snarled. 'Heaven knows what Connor hoped to achieve by sending us his sister.'

'Father, you can't kill her!' he pleaded. 'I'm begging you.'

'I can and will do it,' his father insisted and then his face softened a little. 'One day, Arthur, you will understand why it is necessary.'

Camelot's prince could not bear to hear more. He just bolted out of the room, desperately trying to fight back the tears that wanted to escape. There was only one thought in his head: _I cannot let this happen. I _will_ not let this happen_. It was too wrong. They could not kill her, not after all the things she had done for all of them, not after all those times she had put her life on the line for all of them.

He should not have been surprised to bump into Merlin. His servant tried and failed to look innocent, so Arthur strongly suspected that he had been eavesdropping. For once, Arthur could not care less. He knew that Merlin was the one true ally he could have in this case, because this was the only person who cared as much about Alina as him. He cared in a different way, but most certainly no less than Arthur.

'You heard,' he stated.

Merlin was wise enough not to deny it. 'I did.' There was a solemn edge to his voice that Arthur had never noticed there before. Maybe he only heard it now, because now he knew that there was so much more to Merlin than he had ever suspected, even though Merlin himself was not yet aware that Arthur knew.

'We can't let it happen,' Arthur said, using the plural form almost automatically. They were in this together.

'We can't,' Merlin agreed.

'So, what do we do?' Somehow it seemed right to ask his servant what would be the wisest course of action. Not that he would ever tell Merlin that.

'I think it's time we asked the advice of my friend.'

Arthur stared at him in shock. 'You. Can't. Be. Serious.'


	43. Chapter 43

**Hello everyone, here's chapter 43. Well, I decided not to split the story up. There's one more chapter to go before the next part, if you can call it that. Chapter 44 will be posted tomorrow, but after that you may have to wait for a day or two. I still haven't figured out precisely how I'm going to do the next part exactly.**

**Well, enough of my rambling. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 43**

**Arthur**

Arthur was not sure why he insisted on coming with Merlin. It was obvious that the young sorcerer would much rather go alone and if Arthur was being really honest with himself, he did not want to meet that beast. He supposed the Great Dragon was called great for a reason and the beast had no reason whatsoever to like Pendragons.

But he felt that he could not run away from this one. It was his duty to help Alina. He owed her after all those times she had felt duty-bound to help him, most recently when he had stabbed himself and she healed him. So, now it was his turn to really do something for her.

Merlin had explained that he had no idea what to do and simply breaking Alina out, although very tempting, would thwart destiny, because she was meant to be at his side. So, if there was another solution, there was only one person, if you could call a dragon a person, alive who would know about it: the Great Dragon.

The problem with this reasoning was that it made perfect sense. And Arthur had not been able to come up with a better plan, so in the end he had agreed that the dragon should be asked.

So now they were on their way down.

'What do we do about the guards?' Arthur demanded.

'Ehm…,' Merlin said unintelligently. 'Actually I'm out of options,' he told the prince.

'Great,' Arthur groaned. He was certain that Merlin knew enough magical tricks to distract the guards easily enough, but he wasn't aware that Arthur knew. For some reason Arthur did not want his servant to know that he knew, yet.

'Well, I can always pull the classic trick another time,' Merlin suggested sheepishly. They were on the stairs to the dungeons now, so they spoke in hushed voices.

'And what's that?'

Merlin took some small pebbled from his pockets, beckoned Arthur to be silent and then threw one of the stones straight into the dungeons.

_Good aim_, Arthur could not help but notice. It would seem that his clumsy servant was not as clumsy as he would like to appear.

The guards looked warily at the place where the noise came from. They seemed to debate whether it was nothing or that they would need to investigate. When it appeared that they were deciding in favour of the first option, Merlin threw another pebble, which resulted in more suspicious looks from the guards. In the end (after three more pebbles) they could not remain seated, so they picked up their spears and left.

As soon as they had left, Merlin and Arthur sprinted to the door. Merlin grabbed a torch and then they were in a long dark corridor, leading to the dragon's den.

Arthur had always known of the dragon's existence. He had known of the existence of this very corridor. But never before had he felt the need to take a closer look. Why on earth would he want to interact with a creature that would sooner burn him than make polite conversation with him?

Truth be told, he still did not want to go down here, but he needed to go. Alina's life was at stake. This creature at the end of this passageway was the only one who could give them the answers they needed.

'Are you never afraid of it?' Arthur asked.

Merlin shook his head. 'Not really, no. But, if I were you, I would be scared.'

'I'm not scared.'

'Whatever you say,' Merlin shrugged. 'Although you may want to know that he is probably going to be very, very angry when he learns that Alina has been captured.'

'Is he dangerous when he is angry?'

'Last time he breathed fire at me,' Merlin replied.

This was so _not_ reassuring. Arthur felt a shiver go down his spine. The more he heard, the less eager he was to come down here. He had to keep firmly in mind that he did this for Alina. For her, he would face a thousand of those huge monsters.

Arthur had always known that the cave which contained the dragon would have to be immense. He had, however, not imagined it to be this big. He had a feeling the entire castle would easily fit in this space. And he could not even see the whole cave.

The dragon was nowhere in sight.

'How do you know that he is even here?' Arthur wanted to know.

'Oh, he is here,' Merlin said confidently. 'Hello? I need your help!' he then bellowed. Arthur could hear Merlin's voice echo several times.

For a moment there was only silence as the echoes faded away and in a way, Arthur was relieved. But then he heard the rattle of chains and a gush of wind and next he knew this huge, enormous, giant (he started to run out of words to describe it) beast came flying straight at them.

The only reasonable thing to do was back away and that was what he did. The beast settled down on the huge rock that stood in the middle in the cave. For a moment Arthur could only stare. This creature, apart from being too big and too close for comfort, had an air of wisdom and knowledge about it. Maybe this had something to do with its enormous golden eyes, exactly the same kind of gold Alina's eyes had when she used magic.

'I'm sure you do, Merlin,' the animal spoke.

Although he had known that the beast must be able to talk (how else would Merlin and Alina ask for advice every time?) it still came as a surprise and Arthur felt his jaw drop. The dragon's voice was deep and, there was no other word for it, ancient.

The dragon's gaze now settled on Arthur, the golden eyes looking right into his very soul. It was only by telling himself that Merlin had not backed down either, that he could keep himself from looking away. Its gaze reminded him of the way Alina would sometimes look at him, knowing.

'Ah, you brought the young Pendragon with you,' the dragon observed, not unfriendly.

'Ehm… hello?' Arthur said.

The dragon's head moved closer to his. 'How small you are for such a great destiny.'

Suddenly Arthur understood perfectly why Merlin and Alina were always going on and on about destiny. Apparently this dragon was to blame for that. Why wasn't he surprised?

'Don't pay too much attention,' Merlin muttered. 'He told Alina and me the same thing when we first came down here.'

'I heard that, Merlin,' the beast said amused. 'Now, what is it you came to ask of me?'

'Alina has been arrested,' Merlin stated bluntly.

'NO!' the dragon roared, rearing up and breathing fire into the air. 'NO!'

'I know that's not good, but what can we do about it?' Merlin demanded.

The dragon's eyes, no longer friendly, but almost hostile, now looked at them again. 'You must convince the king to release her,' he growled.

'I've already tried that,' Arthur spoke up. 'He won't listen to reason. He has ordered her execution tomorrow morning at dawn.'

'That cannot be allowed to happen,' the dragon snapped. 'The young sorceress must live, no matter what the cost.'

Arthur felt a little more brave now that he understood that he had the same goal as the enormous creature before him. The fact that he had not been burned to death up till now may have helped with that too. 'Agreed,' he said. 'But how do we stop it? Simply breaking her out? Because we can manage that, I think.'

'It's not so simple, young Pendragon,' the dragon replied. 'The young sorceress cannot be allowed to die or stray too far from Camelot.'

'Why not?' Arthur asked. 'Because she would most likely be safe at Connor's court.' Safe, but unhappy, Arthur knew. He remembered that conversation he had with his fiancée months ago in Gwen's little house. She had told him that she finally had found a place that she could call home. For her to have that taken away would be more than cruel.

'The prophecies speak of a woman, born in the future, who has the fate of Camelot in her hands,' the dragon told him. 'She has the knowledge of the future that is not meant to be, the future that will only come to pass when she is not in Camelot.'

Merlin frowned. 'Alina says that she has already changed a lot.'

'Without her all of her changes will become undone in time, Merlin,' the ancient beast said.

Merlin shook his head. 'I don't believe that.'

'Yet it is the truth.'

Arthur started to understand why Alina had called the dragon cryptic and hugely irritating. What was wrong with just telling them what they needed to know?

'But what do we have to do, then?' the prince asked impatiently. 'We can't talk sense into my father and now you're saying she can neither die nor leave. What is it you want?'

'I did not say she could not leave, young Pendragon,' the dragon said.

It was a shame he was in no position to kick this annoying beast's giant backside, like he did with Merlin when the servant irritated him.

'Then what do you mean?' Merlin demanded. 'We haven't got much time. We need to act!'

Arthur could only agree with that. Less talking and more acting. That was his speciality anyway.

'You must set the young sorceress free and she must leave Camelot,' the dragon told them. 'But you cannot let her return to her brother's court. She must open a portal in time and return there until the time she is destined to return here.'

Finally, an answer. Not that this really solved anything. Open a portal in time? How on earth was she supposed to do that?

Merlin reacted. 'She has been searching for such a spell for months. There is no such spell to be found. The only book that contained spells like that was destroyed by Alina's counterpart.'

'Dragons can hold more knowledge than books, Merlin,' the dragon said. 'You must bring the young sorceress to me, so I can give her the knowledge.'

Merlin and Arthur exchanged glances. 'We can handle that,' Arthur said.

**Merlin**

They gathered in Arthur's chambers, all four of them. Merlin had not seen the prince seen like this, ever before. There was no sign of his royal pratness anymore. The Arthur that stood before them now, was the man that was the Once and Future King. This was the man that made the right decision.

Merlin was proud of Arthur in this very moment. He stepped out of his father's shadow, making his own decisions. Alina had made that happen, although she would probably say that he had done that, because she wouldn't want to claim the glory.

Merlin was still pondering the dragon's words. He was planning on giving Alina a spell that would make her capable of traveling back to her own time, where she would stay until she was needed here again. Because this portal would not cease to exist, they would be able to come and find her when she was destined to return again. There was something off about this sentence. Destined to return again? This very much sounded like the dragon had already foreseen the need for her to leave one day. Somehow this did not sound reassuring at all.

Morgana and Gwen entered together, Morgana the lady that she was, authority clear in every cell of her body, and Gwen the silent, thoughtful presence that she always was.

'Without her all of her changes will become undone in time, Merlin,' the dragon had said. A shiver went down his spine. Would that mean that Arthur finally would marry Gwen? He found that a bit hard to believe. And what would become of Morgana? Alina had implied that her path would lead to darkness, but she had not really explained, telling him that it did not matter anymore, since she had changed the legend at this point. He dreaded to think what would happen now.

'Did you manage it, Arthur?' Morgana demanded.

'Managed what?' The prince looked his normal confused self again.

'To release Alina, of course,' the king's ward clarified. 'Surely your father must have seen reason after what happened with Aredian.'

Arthur thought a few moments about how to deliver this news and then just went for the direct approach. 'My father has sentenced her to die at the stake, at dawn.'

She walked over and slapped his face. 'Arthur Pendragon!' she snapped. 'How could you have let that happen? I thought you cared for her! How can you just stand there and do nothing?'

Arthur raised his hand in a futile attempt to shut her up, a gesture he had stolen from Alina. 'Morgana…,' he tried.

'Don't even try it!' the young witch snarled. 'How can you live with yourself? And you too, Merlin!'

'Leave me out of it,' he muttered.

Morgana didn't listen. She was too busy yelling at Arthur. 'How can you be so heartless? I thought you loved her, Arthur! Of all the people in the world, I would have believed you at least would have the guts to stand up for what you believe in!'

'Morgana, would you please stop shouting at me?' Arthur bellowed. 'I'm. Going. To. Break. Her. Out.'

That shut her up. 'You are?'

'Of course I am,' the prince said in an annoyed voice. 'But I need you to help me do it.'

'Of course, Arthur,' Gwen said. 'Whatever it takes. You know you can count on us.'

Merlin was eternally grateful for Gwen. She was always there for them, prepared to do whatever it took to make sure that her friends were all right. Alina once admitted feeling guilty for stealing the place in history of a person who was so pure, so goodhearted. If she compared herself to Gwen, she thought that Gwen was the more deserving person. If anyone would make for a good queen, it would be Morgana's maidservant.

Merlin could not disagree completely, but he was simply content to let Alina fulfil her destiny. Apparently it was her destiny to take the throne next to Arthur and destiny did as it pleased. So maybe Gwen was the best qualified person for the job, but it was not her legend desired at Arthur's side.

'What do you need us to do?' Morgana asked.

'Pack her stuff,' Arthur ordered. 'I will break Alina out and bring her out of Camelot by using the secret passageway we used to smuggle Mordred out. Merlin will await us there with a horse.'

Gwen nodded. 'She will need clothes, supplies.'

'And some of her magic books,' Morgana added.

The prince looked at her in shock. 'Don't tell me that you knew about her.'

Morgana looked uneasily at her shoes. 'I did. She… she used magic to fight the troll. I saw.' Merlin knew she lied, but it would be best not to tell the truth to Arthur. The young warlock wasn't sure how well Arthur would take to the news that another friend of his also possessed magic.

'Great!' Arthur exclaimed. 'Anyway, I'll need you to keep my father busy. I don't want him anywhere near the dungeons.'

The young witch nodded. 'I can take care of that.'

* * *

Merlin helped Gwen to pack Alina's things together. He knew it would probably not be a long trip she would be making, so besides the practical stuff (training outfit, blankets, weapons, food and water) he also filled one bag with other things, souvenirs as it were. There were a few magic books, taken from the hiding place in the cupboard, two of her most beautiful dresses, each telling its own story, and some of her jewellery and magic stones.

He could still hardly believe that she would be leaving. He had become so used to her presence over the last year. From now on it would be only up to him to keep Arthur safe again, at least until his friend would return to Camelot, but only heaven knew how long it would take. For all Merlin knew, it would be years before it would be safe enough for her to return.

'Merlin,' Morgana's voice said.

Merlin turned around to see the king's ward standing at the door. The young warlock felt his jaw drop. Morgana had dressed up for dinner with the king, wearing her favourite purple dress, her dark hair spilling over her back, the vision of beauty itself.

'My lady,' he said.

Morgana smiled, walking over to him. 'I… I ehm, got something for Alina. To take with her. To remember me.'

She opened her hand and showed him one of her rings, one that she very often wore. Merlin had never seen her without it.

'That's a generous gift,' he remarked.

'I owe her,' Morgana simply said and then, in a softer voice, so that Gwen would not hear: 'I put a spell on the stone. It will light up in the darkness. I know it isn't much, but…' Her voice trailed off.

'I know she will appreciate it, Morgana. She really cares for you, you know.' _As do I._ The last words, however, he bit back. Those weren't the words a servant said to a noble lady like Morgana. It could never be.

'I know,' she whispered. 'Just… just make sure she's safe, Merlin.'

'I will,' he promised her. 'I swear that I will.'

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**Tomorrow is prison break…. **


	44. Chapter 44

**Hello everyone. Here's chapter 44. Chapter 45 should be up by Tuesday or Wednesday, I'm still struggling with the next bit. So, because you'll have to wait for so long, just a long chapter to keep you entertained till then.**

**Please read and review and have a wonderful day!**

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**Chapter 44**

**Alina**

Alina could not fall asleep. The floor was too hard to sleep on. The night before she had barely slept either, kept awake by the worries about Merlin and Aredian's planned exposure. Now that had all gone more than well, so there was nothing to keep her head busy anymore.

She did not fear for her life. She knew full well that Uther would be in more trouble than he could stomach if he decided to kill her. She only had to figure out where she would go once she was banished. For that was going to happen. Uther may not be able to kill her, but he would most definitely not let her stay at Camelot, not now that he knew about her powers.

She turned again, trying in vain to find a position that was at least slightly comfortable. It was no use. No matter what she did, there was always some piece of stone sticking in her back, neck or legs.

Darkness had fallen hours ago, so she had decided to try and get some sleep, but now she knew she was in for another sleepless night. So she turned on her back and simply enjoyed herself by watching the few stars that she could see through the small window.

She was disturbed by a familiar voice whispering her name.

'Arthur?' she asked. 'What are you doing here?'

'Not so loud!' he hissed. 'And what does it look like I'm doing?'

It was hard to see in the dark, but she could hear the clanging of keys. 'Arthur, letting me escape is not the best way to deal with this,' she told him.

'It is,' he disagreed, finally finding the right key and unlocking the door.

She got up, walking over to him, but not leaving the cell. 'Arthur, we've been over this before,' she explained. 'Connor will be here within a week. Uther will not have the guts to execute me, no matter how betrayed he feels. He won't risk war.'

'No, he's planning on declaring one,' Arthur replied grimly.

He lost her now. 'Arthur, what are you talking about?' she demanded.

He grabbed her hands, forced her to look at him. 'He has sentenced you to die,' he told her bluntly. 'There's no time to wait for Connor. My father is contemplating going to war against Connor for bringing you to Camelot. You'll have to leave.'

She shook her head, utterly confused. 'There must be some mistake,' she insisted.

'Wake up, Alina!' he snapped. 'You know my father. He no longer thinks when he hears the word magic. He's blinded by his hatred for it. You'll have to flee the kingdom.'

No. This could not be true. This must be some sort of joke, albeit a very sinister and absolutely not funny one. Had Uther lost his mind? With a shock she realised that the answer to this question must be yes. She remembered the Arthur in the show saying: 'You hear the word magic and you no longer listen.'

Good heaven, Arthur was being very serious. She would have to run.

'There has been no trial,' she heard herself protest, still desperately holding on to straws, even though it was no use. Uther did not need trials when it came to dealing with magic-users. She and her kind were outlaws in this land.

Arthur pulled her in his embrace, holding her as she finally surrendered to the tears. Tears of grief, for having to leave the one true home that she had ever had, for leaving behind the people that she loved above all others.

'I'm so sorry, Alina,' he whispered in her hair. 'But it's not for forever, I swear. You will return.'

'When?' she asked in a small voice.

'One day.'

'I can't leave you,' she sobbed.

'Merlin can look after me,' Arthur tried to joke, failing. 'I'm sure he can keep me alive until you return.'

'He'd better,' she muttered.

He held her at arm's length. 'We have to go now, so do I have to knock you out or will you come quietly?'

She snorted. 'As if you could knock me out, even if you wanted to.' She sighed. 'Yes, I'll come with you.'

He held her hand as he led her out. She knew she should be glad that he believed her and helped saving her life for a change, but all she could feel now was the hurt at being forced to leave, forced to run for her life, destiny thwarted. Maybe that hurt most of all. Her destiny, everything she had wanted in life, was cruelly taken away from her, leaving her broken and empty.

She stood in the doorway, looking back with sad eyes.

'We have to go, Alina,' Arthur said softly.

'I know.' She truly did now. Not that it would make any of this easier. 'There's something I need to do first, though.' She held out her hand, muttered a spell and felt the magic rushing through her again.

She heard Arthur gasp as he saw the illusion form on the hard mattress. 'What did you do?'

'It's an illusion,' she explained, looking at her own, seemingly asleep form. 'It will hold till morning. Hopefully it will keep them off my back for a while.'

Arthur smiled. 'Well done,' he said, as if this was a training session and she had just mastered a certain difficult move.

'I hate it,' she told him. She hated everything it stood for: deception and lies, once again. Somehow these things seemed to be everything her life consisted of lately.

They walked through the dungeons, towards the entrance and Alina realised she had, in fact, no idea what Arthur's plan was.

'What's the plan?' she asked.

'Getting you out of here,' he replied.

'Do I want to know what happened to the poor lads sitting guard?' She tried her hardest to find a lighter tone, to keep her tears inside.

'Well, let's just say that they are enjoying a good night's sleep.'

'Hey, that's my line,' she said, remembering how she had once told Arthur that Jonas was having a good night's sleep.

He grinned, although it did not quite reach his eyes. 'I stole it from you.'

They had reached the exit now. The two guards, the kind Allan being one of them, were sleeping with their heads on the table, not aware of anything that was going on around them. She pitied them. Uther would be furious beyond words when he found out what happened.

Arthur pulled her with him, past the guards and into another corridor. She was too focused on the guards, so she only realised where he was taking her when they were already halfway there.

She skidded to a stop. 'Where are you taking me?' she asked warily.

'To see your old friend.'

She wriggled her hand out of his. 'What is going on?' she demanded. 'What are you playing at, Arthur?'

'The dragon needs to give you something,' he replied vaguely. 'A parting gift.'

She did not buy it. 'I know you,' she said. 'There's more to this.'

'He's going to give you a spell to open a portal in time,' Arthur clarified. 'He said you're to stay there until you're destined to return here again.'

There were so many things to feel at these two simple sentences. First, there was joy. It was completely unreasonable, inexcusable even, but she felt it nonetheless. She would be able to hold her family and friends in her arms again. They were not lost to her. She was only one spell away from seeing them again. Tears of joy burned behind her eyes. After so long, even after she had given up all hope on this account, she still got a chance to see them again.

She felt herself collapse. Because, as much as she longed to see all her loved ones, another part, maybe an even bigger part, did not want to leave at all. She wanted to stay here, where she was meant to be, at Arthur's side. She found she could not leave him without breaking her own heart in the process. She felt like being pulled in two opposite directions, unable to keep herself together, slowly breaking to pieces. The emotional hurt was so intense that it was almost physical.

And then, finally, underneath it all, there was suspicion, triggered by something Arthur had said. _Destined to return here_. Those were not the kind of words Arthur would use. Arthur mostly laughed at the concept of destiny and things that were meant to be. That must mean he was echoing someone. And she had a fairly good idea who that someone might be.

She let the suspicion take over, mostly because she did not want to feel the joy or intense sadness, but also because she wanted to know what on earth was going on here. Destined to return? That meant that a certain dragon had been holding out on her… again. Suspicion turned to anger.

'That bloody fire breathing beast,' she growled, getting up again.

Arthur looked at her in shock. 'Alina, what's going on?'

'I need to talk with him,' she declared.

He eyed her warily. 'It sounds like you're going to lecture him, more like.'

'That's what I meant.' She took his hand again and now she was the one dragging him along. 'You don't know what this means, do you?'

He misinterpreted. 'That you'll be able to see your family again.'

'That he's been holding out on me,' she corrected him, teeth grinding in frustration. 'If my return was destined, so was my departure. And yet he never told me.' She snorted. 'Why am I even surprised?' she added to herself. 'It's not like I could not have known.'

She marched into the dragon's cave, the beast itself nowhere in sight of course. Typical.

'I know you're there!' she shouted. 'And you better get your sorry ass here before I drag it here.'

'Was that such a wise thing to do?' Arthur wondered.

'Probably not,' she admitted. She was still too angry to really care. She let herself drown in it, because it blocked out all the other feelings. They simply hurt too much and she could not bear to face it already. After tonight, there would be more than enough time to rejoice over her reuniting with her family and friends, more than enough time to let herself feel the pain of what she had lost. She just could not do it now.

The dragon made his usual entrance. She noticed how Arthur backed away, but she remained where she was, looking the lying beast straight in the eye.

'You lied to me,' she accused him, before he could speak.

'I never did, young sorceress.'

'You did not tell me everything,' she insisted. 'How on earth could I be destined to return? I was never meant to leave in the first place!'

'You were, young sorceress. The ancient prophecies foretell it.' The patience in his voice was even more infuriating than usual.

'I told you before that you had better look at them again before you jump to conclusions,' she snapped. 'I'm not going to be a pawn in one of your stupid games and I'm not going to live my life exactly as destiny wants it either. I proved you wrong before and I will do it again, mark my words!'

'Yet, you have to leave Camelot, young sorceress. You need what I can offer you,' the dragon pointed out. 'You know that, too, or you would not have been here.'

The realisation hit her with the force of a bomb explosion. She did need his gift. She had no clue as to where she would go if she did not have it. Camelot was no longer an option and yet she felt hesitant to go too far away from it. Therefore she could not go back to Connor's court. It would take her too far from her one true home. The dragon's solution to the problem was in itself ideal, were it not that she suspected that the enormous beast had it all planned out long ago, making her feel like nothing more than a piece in one of his games. Even though he was locked up beneath the castle, he still tried to shape destiny the way he wanted it to. The worst thing about this was that he was succeeding. Alina absolutely hated that.

'Then get on with it,' she ordered, not bothering to ask nicely. He wanted to give it to her, needed to give it to her, in order to let destiny have its way, so it did not matter how she asked. For once, she was completely comfortable with bossing someone around, especially this irritating creature.

The dragon moved his head closer to them. 'Use the knowledge wisely, young sorceress. This is no mere trick.'

She looked at him, defiantly. 'Now, what is this? Pot calling kettle black, perhaps?'

The dragon chose to ignore that remark. He opened his mouth and instinctively she held Arthur's hand even tighter than she had done before, bracing herself for what was to come. She closed her eyes and then the warm breath was all around her, overwhelming her.

**Arthur**

Arthur could only stand and watch as the dragon poured out his knowledge over his fiancée. Well, as far as his father was concerned, Alina was not even his fiancée anymore, not now everyone knew her to be a sorceress. But deep down inside Arthur knew that he would never love another and that he still would marry her, no matter what his father said. There was no other person that he could see occupy the throne next to his, no person more suitable to be queen of Camelot.

He looked at her face, calm, but determined as the dragon's wisdom surrounded her. There was a hint of resistance there as well. She had made perfectly clear that she was not following his advice without question. And he noticed concentration as her entire being, whether it was against her will or not, focused on understanding the spell that was now given to her. Arthur could feel a little of its power, its complex nature. He still held her hand (or was she holding his?) and bits and pieces of the dragon's breath also touched his skin. It was not enough to fully understand, but it was enough to understand that this kind of magic was much more powerful than anything else he had ever encountered. Whoever could wield such power, could do anything.

This had him thinking about Alina and Merlin. He had no idea how powerful Merlin was exactly, but if his little theory about Merlin being this powerful Emrys, the warlock destined to protect him, was true, Merlin could wield this magic as well. Each of them could use their magic to bring Camelot to its knees and make an end to the ban on magic. Yet none of them chose to do that. Instead they worked behind the scenes, using their magic to keep Camelot safe, fighting for a better future under his rule. No, some magic may be evil, he'd seen enough of that to know, but not theirs.

The flow of magic stopped as quickly as it had begun, leaving Alina trembling and wide-eyed. She shivered and Arthur, not caring that the dragon could see, pulled her close to him, safe in his embrace. Heaven knew when he would get the chance to do this again. Years could pass before he would see her again.

'Thanks,' Alina said to the dragon. Arthur could tell that she was trying to snap, but she was still processing what had just happened, so the sharp edge to her voice was not quite so sharp.

'We should go,' Arthur said, wanting to get out of this place as fast as he could. He was still not comfortable being so close to a beast that could roast him whenever the mood struck him.

'We should,' Alina agreed, sounding a little more sure of herself.

Part of Arthur protested loudly to letting her go. When it came to it, he was no more willing to part with her than she was. He could almost hear his heart break. The only thing that kept him on his feet was the knowledge that their parting was not forever. One day she would return and then he would marry her. There was nothing on this earth, not even his father, who would stop it then.

'Good luck, young sorceress,' the dragon said. The beast even sounded like he meant it. Not that Arthur could really tell. The beast clearly had his own agenda, exactly as Alina had once told Merlin.

'Just one more thing,' Alina said and Arthur could hear how icy she sounded. 'I may be gone for quite some time, but I will return eventually.'

'It is your destiny, young sorceress,' the dragon told her.

'Yes, I know that by now,' Alina said impatiently. 'What I meant to say was that if you ever dare to hurt anyone, whether it be by withholding important information or by a physical attack, if you harm my friends or a single citizen of Camelot, you'll have me to answer to. And if your actions cause the death of people, know then that nothing on earth will stop me. And I don't care how justified you think your actions are and how much you hate Uther and all that he stands for. Act out your revenge and I _will_ make you pay.'

Arthur had no idea what she was talking about. He did not like the dragon any more than she did, but for all his riddles and cryptic hints about destiny he did try to help them. He knew Alina was angry for not telling her everything, but that could not explain these harsh words.

'I would never do such a thing, young sorceress,' the dragon said friendly.

'The legend I know seems to disagree,' she replied coolly. 'So show me that you can actually act your age and leave them alone.'

She did not wait for an answer, but marched out of the cave. Arthur had no choice but to follow.

He noticed that she stumbled a few times. 'Are you all right, Alina?' he asked in a worried voice.

'This spell,' she breathed. 'I've never felt its like before. Such power.'

'Can you handle it?'

She nodded. 'I'll manage. But this is dragon magic, really. Only the most powerful sorcerers would be able to cast a spell like this on their own and then probably more than half of them would fail anyway. I can only cast it because he gave me some of his own power.'

He simply lifted her off the floor and carried her the rest of the way.

'Hey, what are you doing?' she protested.

'You looked like you could collapse any moment,' he clarified. _I want to hold you close to me for as long as I can._ 'We can't have you falling down, can we? Besides, it's not like you're very heavy. You can't weigh more than my armour.'

'Hmm.'

He wanted to hear her voice as long as he possibly could. The best way to achieve that, would be to ask her a question, he decided. 'So, what does that spell do?'

'Basically it opens a portal in time. All I have to do is to concentrate on the time and place I wish to go to and then I have to cast the spell. It sounds a lot simpler than it is, though. Time spells are never easy, sometimes even dangerous.'

He frowned. 'Why is that?'

'Well, because people like me, who know what is going to happen, can change the entire history with one little act. And that's only one of the dangers. Time is simply not meant to be meddled with.'

'I can see that, I guess,' he said. 'But you're going to do it anyway.'

'Rub it in,' she muttered. She noticed that they were back with the guards, who were still asleep. 'Where are we going now?'

'We're going to meet Merlin. He's supposed to be waiting for us outside.'

'You did not make him, right?'

He sighed. 'He would have broken you out himself if I had given him the permission, Alina,' he replied. Leave it to Alina to worry about everyone, save herself. Why would she worry about Merlin when she was the only one in danger here? 'Stop fretting about everyone else. Most people are perfectly capable of looking after themselves, even Merlin, I hate to say.'

That made her smile. 'Most of all Merlin,' she corrected.

'Still can't believe I have a sorcerer for a manservant,' he grinned.

'Warlock,' she said.

'Sorry?'

'He's a warlock, not a sorcerer,' she clarified.

Arthur could not help but grin. 'That's the first time you've actually really admitted it, you know. So, tell me, is he also known as Emrys?'

She laughed. 'You know, when you finally get that brain of yours to work, you can really be smart.'

'Was that a compliment?' he teased.

'Consider it one,' she replied.

Without warning he pushed his lips on hers. They were in a dark corridor again, so there was no one there to see them. And this might be the last time in a very long period of time that they got to do this. He could feel Alina's tears running down her cheeks as she also realised this. But then, it could also be his own tears. It was hard to tell.

Of course it would be too much to ask to have this last moment together undisturbed. Merlin came running into the corridor. 'What's taking you so long?' he complained, before catching sight of the situation. 'Oh, was I interrupting something?'

Arthur reluctantly let go of Alina, setting her back on her own feet. 'Obviously, _Mer_lin!' he snapped. 'Just do us all a favour and go check on the horse, will you?'

Merlin couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Alina laid her hand on his arm. 'Don't be too angry with him,' she said in a soft voice. 'It's hard on him, too.'

In a way he was glad that she reminded him of that. He was going to miss her, not only as the love of his life that she was, but also as the voice of his conscience. How many times had she told him that certain behaviour was improper in the last year? He had lost count.

'I'll try to be easy on him,' he promised. 'Now, where were we?'

This was their goodbye kiss. They could both feel it. There were tears again, but at the same time it was sweet and tender. Arthur held her close to him, wishing to never let her go, knowing that he should, sooner rather than later.

Even though, the moment came too soon. They reluctantly let go of each other, still holding hands, just letting the emotions of the moment wash over them.

'I will return,' she promised in a fierce whisper.

'You'd better,' he muttered.

'I have to go,' she said.

'You have to,' he agreed, but neither of them moved. 'You don't have any pointers about what to do and don't in your absence, do you?'

'About a dozen,' Alina replied. 'But Merlin needs to hear those as well.'

This time they did move, walking to the end of the tunnel, where Merlin was waiting with a horse. The servant's eyes were a little red. He must have been crying, too. Under any other circumstances Arthur would have made a joke about Merlin being such a girl, but not today, not when his own feelings were such a mess.

'You'll be fine, Merlin,' she assured the warlock. 'I know you will be.'

Merlin gave her one of Morgana's rings. 'Morgana asked me to give you this,' he said. 'To remember.'

Alina took it and put it on. 'Tell her that I don't need a ring to remember her. You tell her to stay strong and don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, right?'

Merlin nodded solemnly. 'I will.'

Alina smiled. She walked over to the horse, inspecting the bags and digging up something that looked like a small purse. She took one of her own rings out of it. Arthur wondered how she knew it was there, just a second before realising that Alina and Merlin did not need words to communicate with each other.

She put the ring on her palm and softly muttered a spell. The diamond on the ring glowed up for a few seconds and then went back to its normal colour.

'What did you just do?' Arthur demanded.

Alina handed the ring to Merlin. 'It's for Morgana,' she told them. 'As long as she wears this, the nightmares will not come. And I don't think I need to tell you that Uther must not find out.'

Arthur nodded. 'Of course.' Only a week ago he would have been furious if anyone would have given a magical gift to Morgana, but he knew better now. Alina meant well for all of them. So instead of shouting, he heard himself ask: 'Don't we get any gifts?'

She chuckled. 'Patience was never your strong point, eh?'

'I thought history wasn't my strong point,' he joked.

'That, too.' She took two other stones from the purse, a green and a blue one. She cast a spell on both of them and then gave the green one to Merlin. 'You know what to do with this,' she simply said.

The young warlock nodded. Arthur was dying to know what it was, but if she did explain, she did it over the mind link. Neither of them spoke aloud.

She gave the blue stone to Arthur. He could feel the soft warmth radiating from it. It felt like her. 'What does this do?'

She smiled. 'What I can't do anymore,' she replied. 'I put a healing spell on it. It's the most effective if you wear it on a necklace against your bare skin. It will help you heal when you get injured.'

'You think I'll get injured?'

'Of course,' she snorted. 'You're Arthur Pendragon and you attract trouble like no one else. Speaking of which…' She turned to face them both. 'Be careful around the woman who goes by the name of Morgause. Arthur, please, don't duel her and don't believe a word of what she says. You hear me?'

He nodded. He suspected she used her knowledge from the future now, because he had never heard of someone of that name.

'Merlin, do not, under any circumstances, let her get to Morgana. I'll personally strangle you if you let that happen.'

'Understood,' Merlin said.

She embraced both of them one last time. Arthur held her tight, wishing he could stop the time. _Stay, please, stay with me!_ He could not speak the words out loud. He knew what would happen to her if she did stay and that did not bear thinking about.

'I love you,' he whispered.

'Love you too,' she muttered.

Arthur watched her climb on the horse, looking down at them for the last time. 'Tell Gwen I'm sorry for not telling her,' she said. 'And Arthur, tell your father I've forgiven him. Tell him that I understand.'

This angered him. 'How can you say that?' he demanded. 'He would have you executed!'

'I understand what made him the way he is,' she replied calmly. 'Do not blame him, Arthur. He only does what he believes to be right.'

Arthur blamed his father very much, but it would not do to tell Alina that. He would do anything to please her, including giving this message to the king. 'Sure,' he said.

'You ought to go,' Merlin said, practical as ever. 'I don't know how long Morgana will be able to keep the king busy.'

The princess nodded, smiled at them and then turned her horse, without saying one more word. But she did not fool Arthur. The prince had seen the tears running down her face as she galloped away.

He still looked after her when there was nothing more than darkness to see.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know!**


	45. Chapter 45

**Hello, and here is chapter 45, just as promised. I'll try to keep uploading on a daily basis, but updates may be a little more irregular from now on. **

**As for the story, I decided on a time gap of two years between the end of chapter 44 and chapter 45. So, we get back to the story at the start of season 3. Enjoy reading and let me know what you think.**

* * *

**Chapter 45**

**Arthur**

It was wet, it was cold and he had been on a horse for the best part of the last week, so it went without saying that his mood was bad. Arthur had a feeling that he would never be warm again, save for that small place on his chest, where Alina's last gift to him was still resting. There was a constant glow and warmth coming out of it as an effect of the enchantment she had cast on it.

Arthur touched it absent-mindedly. Two years had gone by since she had escaped from the dungeons, with a little help from Merlin and him of course, and not a day went by that he did not miss her. He missed her at feasts, lighting up the boring speeches from visiting diplomats with whispered remarks. He missed her at the training sessions, to make jokes about his incapability to beat her in a duel. He missed her when he was alone in his room, somehow still waiting for her to come in and have a conversation about the things that occupied their minds at the time. But, most of all, he missed her on days like this, when he was far from home, on a quest and had only Merlin and the knights to listen to.

Arthur often thought about what she would have said if she knew about the mess they had managed to get themselves into. First of all she would give Merlin and him her terrifying run-and-hide look, before bursting into a lecture about how stupid they had been and if it could be that there was something very much wrong with their hearing, since they obviously had not listened to a word she had said.

Arthur could only agree with her. He had messed up, spectacularly.

First there had been this challenge. Arthur had picked up the gauntlet before asking for the challenger's identity. When she revealed herself to be Morgause, he felt like bashing his head against the wall for not asking first. He had to duel her, had lost, as Alina had doubtlessly foreseen, and was then forced to accept another challenge, with the end result being him almost killing his father. He would have done it, too, had it not been for Merlin.

His servant looked completely miserable on the horse next to his. Arthur knew he was still blaming himself for losing Morgana. Arthur did not think that was right. When it came to blame, they had to bear equal parts. It was not entirely Merlin's fault that Morgause had gotten to Morgana and abducted her from the throne room. If he had been faster, just a little bit faster he could have prevented it.

But he hadn't been and that was the reason he had been on a horse for almost a week, searching for Morgana, just like they had done for the past year.

_I'm sorry, Alina_, he thought. _I screwed up and I'm sorry. I should have listened to you better._

He wished he knew where she was. Then he could tell her in person and then he could take her back home, to Camelot, where she belonged. There was no danger for her there anymore.

At first, his father had been furious when he learned of the escape, but he was not as angry as he could have been. And then Arthur had told him everything he had learned about the princess, ending with the final message she had given him. At the end of the speech the king had just collapsed into his chair, crying. Arthur had left him then, but he knew his father was sorry. A small consolation, but too little and too late. Alina was gone and he had no idea where to start looking for her.

It also looked like there was not going to be a war now that his father had finally seen reason. They all had kind of forgotten Connor. He had not such a forgiving heart. Arthur all too clearly remembered the day he had arrived.

* * *

_They stood in the throne room, awaiting the royal party. Arthur felt a little nervous, but that had been absolutely nothing compared to his father, who had to explain to Alina's brother how it could be that his little sister was missing. Arthur very much did not want to be in his shoes at that moment._

_The door was opened and Connor burst in, a furious look on his face. Oh, great, this was even worse than he had imagined. The king had already been told. He had no idea by whom, but news like this travelled fast._

_As Connor marched to the throne, his father walked over to meet him halfway. 'King Connor!' he exclaimed. 'It's good to see you here.'_

'_Save me your polite words, Uther Pendragon,' the young king snapped. There was a look in his eyes that was not unlike Alina's, a look that would send the bravest knights running for cover. 'Where's my sister?'_

'_I beg your pardon?'_

_Connor pointed his finger against the older king's chest. 'Where. Is. My. Sister?' he demanded. 'On my way here I heard the strangest tales, varying from her being executed to her being exiled. Now, where is she?'_

'_She has escaped,' Arthur's father confessed._

_King Connor's eyes lit up in anger. 'So, there is some truth in what I've heard?'_

'_I am afraid so,' Uther confessed._

_If he thought that he could calm the younger king down, he was mistaken. Alina's brother snarled, grabbing Uther at his shoulders. 'What happened! Answer me! What on earth could have possessed you to throw my little sister in the dungeons and sentence her to die?'_

_Arthur strongly suspected that Connor already knew everything. He just wanted to hear it from the king himself. He wanted to hear Uther admit what he had done. It was something Alina could have done as well. In some ways they were very much alike._

'_The Lady Alina used magic,' his father replied._

'_Of course she did! She is a sorceress!'_

_That took even Arthur by surprise. He had not been aware that Connor was informed. However, when he thought about it, it was only logical. After all, where they came from magic wasn't outlawed, so she would not have a reason to hide it there. And he remembered Alina saying that her counterpart had had magic before she came to live in her body._

'_You knew!' Uther said accusingly._

'_Of course I did,' Connor snapped, forgetting all the rules and just slapping Uther across the face, leaving most people present gasp in shock. 'She's my sister. But she used her magic to keep each and every one of you from harm. And this is how you repay her? By throwing her in prison! Are you out of your mind?'_

Yes,_ Arthur thought. His father had most definitely been exactly that when he ordered the sorceress's execution._

'_It is the law,' Uther replied, sounding not as convinced as he used to sound when discussing this subject._

_Connor breathed heavily, trying his hardest not to lose his temper again, but everyone could hear the fury and the hurt when he spoke again. 'Give me one good reason why I should not declare war on you right now, Uther Pendragon!' he growled._

_Arthur breathed in, shocked. Well, not exactly shocked, because he had been expecting this, or something very much like this. Connor was not going to let this go unanswered, certainly not now his beloved sister was missing. And now here they were, on the brink of war. And his father could not come up with one good excuse for his behaviour._

_This was it. Camelot would go to war. Maybe it was a just punishment for what they had done to the princess, the prince pondered. Arthur wasn't likely to forget the look of sadness in Alina's eyes only seconds before she had left, crying for everything she had lost, because of one man's blind hatred for her kind. After all she had done for them, they had stabbed her in the back. Worst of all, she did not even hate them for it._

_Well, Arthur did hate. He hated himself, for even believing she was evil. Even though this feeling had not lasted longer than a few hours, thanks to Merlin and Alina herself, he hated himself for being even capable of thinking so badly of her. But most of his hate was directed at his father, who had seen the light, but far too late. He had not been able to look his father in the eyes ever since it happened and that was not likely to change anytime soon. War really was a just punishment. _

_Everyone was waiting for Connor to say the words. The young king even had opened his mouth to say them, when the most unexpected thing happened. Merlin stepped forward. 'Because your sister wouldn't thank you for doing that.'_

_Connor released his hold on the other king's tunic to stare at the servant. 'Who are you?' he demanded._

_If he only could talk to the idiot with his mind, like Alina could do, he would tell him to stop this foolishness at once. But he could not and when he opened his mouth to speak, he found that he was speechless._

'_I am Merlin,' the warlock replied. 'I am prince Arthur's manservant, but I was also a close friend of Alina's. And the last thing she would have wanted you to do, is you going to war against Camelot on her behalf. She has been trying to keep Camelot safe for as long as she's been here. A war would undo everything she has been fighting for.'_

_Connor frowned. 'I remember her mentioning you in her letters. She spoke very highly of you. You knew her well?'_

_Merlin nodded. 'I did, sire.'_

'_So, if you knew her so well, tell me, what would she do if she were to learn from my attack on Camelot?' _

_This was some kind of test, Arthur knew it. For all Connor knew, the servant could be making this friendship up in the hope of preventing a war. He hoped Merlin wasn't too thick to get the message._

'_She would give you her run-and-hide look before giving you a very long and very unpleasant lecture about how you should be acting your age, be the responsible king and stuff like that. And then she would order you to remove your army or else she would remove it for you and you wouldn't want it to come to that,' Merlin replied calmly._

_Connor nodded. 'You truly knew her well.'_

* * *

That had been the end of all the talk of war. The two kings had eventually made their peace, even though Arthur could tell Connor did not do so willingly. The redheaded king still felt the urgent need to make Camelot's king pay for what he did, but he also knew that in doing that, he would greatly infuriate his little sister. That was the only thing holding him back. He had left a week later.

Arthur's attention returned to the present time when he saw pieces of red cloth in front of him. Pieces of red cloth had no business here on these dreary plains, where the only colours were green, grey and brown. A shiver went down his spine. _Please, not again_, he found himself praying.

But as they came closer, he knew that his prayer had not been answered. On the wet ground, scattered like leaves, were the bodies of yet another patrol of Camelot.

**Merlin**

Merlin looked around in horror when he saw the dead bodies on the grass. It still was a sad sight, even though he had seen it more times than he would care to count in the past year.

'Check for survivors,' Arthur ordered, but Merlin could tell by the sound of his voice that he did not believe there were any. There never were.

The knights spread, checking everybody, but none of them still had any life in it. They had all been slaughtered in the attack.

No one really knew who did this, but there always were rumours. Rumours that king Cenred had sent men across the border to test Camelot's defences. And because the attacker's trail always led north, that story became more plausible every time they came across another killed patrol. But there was never any evidence. It was never more than rumours and suspicion, so they could never confront king Cenred. It would be all too easy for him to deny it.

Arthur dismounted and knelt down at some tracks. 'Seems their attackers headed north!' he shouted to the other men. 'Come on!' The prince got up and prepared to climb on his horse again.

'Do you think we should be going after them?' Merlin asked doubtfully. After all, their attempts to follow the attackers never proved fruitful. Either they lost the trail somewhere or they found themselves going round in circles, never seeing anyone.

Arthur, being his usual charming it's-been-far-too-long-since-I-got-any-food-in-my-belly self, of course misinterpreted that remark completely. 'You are such a girl's petticoat!' he said.

Great, the prince thought he was scared. Scared, of a few bandits, _please_! Merlin was more than capable of defending himself and the prince in case of an attack, but of that Arthur still was completely oblivious. And maybe that was for the better. He had taken Alina's magic rather well, but Merlin would not say how the prince would respond to having a magic-user for a manservant as well.

Merlin missed Alina here with them. Had she been in Camelot, she probably would have insisted on joining them, lighting up all their moods. But then, had she been in Camelot, this whole search party would in all likeliness never have been needed in the first place, he thought sourly. He somehow doubted that the sorceress would make such a mess of things.

Even though she had almost drowned them in advice, everything still went wrong. He had not been able to keep Morgause away from Morgana and neither had he succeeded in preventing the dragon from wreaking havoc on Camelot. Well, at least he managed to fix that in the end.

There had been more than one moment in the past two years that Merlin would have given anything for a chance to talk with his best friend, asking her advice, hearing her voice say that everything would be okay.

But most of all, he had wanted a shoulder to cry on. In the first few months since she had escaped from Camelot, he first had to deal with the young druid girl with her trusting eyes and her beautiful smile. He had wanted Alina there to tell her how happy he had been with her. But the dream had turned to nightmare. He had lost Freya and then he had needed his friend there even more to comfort him. Going through all the grief and heartache alone had been almost unbearable, nearly breaking him. And when he finally kind of recovered there had been the death of his father, sending him into that pain again. Gaius had been understanding, absolutely true, but Merlin had needed someone of his own age. And there had not been someone like that.

The pain still felt fresh and raw, even more than a year after it had all happened, and thinking about them only made it worse. Add to that Arthur's bad temper, the absolutely depressing weather and the slaughtered patrol they found not an hour ago and you had all the reasons why Merlin was not his usual cheerful self.

'Ow,' he moaned as his muscles protested against another day of horse-riding.

'Is something wrong with you?' Arthur's very irritated voice spoke up immediately.

'I've been on a horse all day,' Merlin said. Of course, that was only part of what was wrong, but Arthur could not be told of the rest.

'Is your little bottom sore?' Arthur teased.

On other days, Merlin might enjoy the banter. Just not today. 'Yes, it's not as fat as yours,' he retorted, barely keeping himself from snapping.

Arthur did not notice the irritated edge to his servant's voice. 'You know, you got a lot of nerve… for a wimp.'

'I may be a wimp, at least I'm not a dollophead,' he replied, joining in the banter, even though he did not want to. There was just no way to deny Arthur anything once he decided he wanted it. And since it was a bit of fun the prince wanted, he was not going to let go till Merlin cooperated.

'There is no such word,' Arthur said.

_No, that's because I just made it up_. 'It's idiomatic,' he clarified, watching if Arthur would take the bait.

He did. 'It's _what_?'

'You need to be more in touch with the people,' Merlin said, which was true.

'Describe dollophead,' Arthur ordered.

Merlin suddenly got this excellent idea. Because there was no such word. Arthur had been right about that, which left him the liberty of inventing a definition as well. 'In two words?' he asked.

'Yes.'

'Prince Arthur.'

Arthur was not amused, but at least he finally shut up. At first Merlin thought that had something to do with his little joke, but then the prince raised his hand, beckoning them all to stop, and Merlin took a better look at what was ahead of them.

There was a small encampment, seemingly abandoned. But Merlin did no longer believe in abandoned camps. There always were people, whether they were hiding or planning an ambush.

Arthur had them dismounting and moving towards the camp. When they were all gathered in the middle of it, the bandits came. Merlin supposed he should have been surprised, but really it had been too predictable. It's not like things like this never happened in Camelot.

Merlin did what he did best in a battle, hide somewhere and help from the side-line. He dropped a tree on a bandit, magnetised another man's sword, causing him to fall, and magically flung a spear into a bandit's side, just as the man was trying to attack Arthur from behind.

When the last man was down, Arthur looked at Merlin, who had tripped over his own feet, again, and was lying on the ground. 'We're not playing hide-and-seek, Merlin!' he said in a very irritated voice.

'Dollophead,' Merlin muttered. It was about time that the prat got some food in his stomach. This behaviour started to annoy him greatly.

He got to his feet again, walking over to Arthur, but the sound of snapping twigs somewhere close to them in the forest stopped him in mid-motion. Great, more bandits. Like they hadn't had their daily dose of those already. Merlin started to wonder where all this bandits sprang off from. You would almost say that they duplicated themselves magically.

Arthur and the knights tensed, drawing their swords again, preparing for whatever was coming. Well, whoever these bandits were, they did not make much effort to keep quiet. It was almost like an elephant running around in the woods, Alina would phrase it.

There was mist, so it was hard to see who it was at first. The shape, the hair, the dress. Merlin thought he was having a hallucination, that he was seeing only what he wanted to see. But then Arthur lowered his sword and Merlin saw the prince's jaw drop and he knew it was the truth.

'Morgana.'

* * *

**We'll see something of Alina in the next chapter, I promise. And some of you probably hate me for what I did to Morgana, but give me some time to sort that out, right?**


	46. Chapter 46

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter. Please read and review.**

**Chapter 46**

**Merlin**

The ride home was a silent one. Merlin had a lot to think about and apparently, so had Arthur. Merlin did not know if he should be happy or afraid. For the past year he had been constantly wishing they would find Morgana. He so badly wanted to tell her that he was sorry, so sorry for what he had to do. He never wanted it. He cared too much for her. But the situation in which he found himself forced him to do it, for as much as he cared, maybe even loved Morgana, Arthur and Camelot had to be his priorities.

And so he had poisoned her, breaking his own heart again in the process. To see her face, so scared, so panicked, to hear her choke as the poison slowly suffocated her. He had held her, telling her how he had no choice and how sorry he was, not sure how much she had heard of that speech. When Morgause took her away, he had almost been relieved, because that meant there was still hope for her.

And now they knew that there was. Because she was here. Her condition was bad. She looked exhausted and pale, but at least she was alive and safe back with them. She would be fine. Gaius would examine her and she would be fine. Relief washed over him.

But the relief was mingled with a healthy dose of fear. There was no knowing what had happened to her in the past year. The only thing they knew for certain was that Morgause was involved and that was never a good thing.

Merlin did not know what Morgana would think of him now, but he somehow doubted she would be grateful that he had poisoned her. If someone he cared about did that to him, he would feel angry and betrayed too. There was no reason why Morgana would feel any differently. There was no reason why she would not tell the whole sad tale to Uther. And that would be the end of him.

He was pondering this as Morgana was carried into the castle, looking after her. She looked so vulnerable and yet still beautiful, even now, even after all that she had been through. Could she ever betray him to the king? Seeing her like this made that hard to believe.

'Merlin, are you listening to me?' Arthur's voice penetrated his thoughts and a finger was snapped in front of his face.

'What? Yes,' he said immediately. 'I'll look forward to that,' he added, assuming Arthur had just spelled out a whole lot of chores for him to do, as he always did.

'Cheer up, Merlin,' the prince told him. 'Morgana's home. And you know what that means, don't you?' He gave the answer before Merlin could even start to guess. Not that he wanted to. 'No more riding around on your little bottom.'

_Getting myself killed for poisoning Morgana_, Merlin thought. How he wished Alina was here. Surely she would know what was going to happen and he realised that he needed to be reassured right now, something that Arthur wasn't going to do. It made him feel more than sad.

**Alina**

Alina looked on her watch in frustration. Time just did not want to hurry up today. She had tons to do, but yet she was stuck in traffic.

_One more point for Camelot_, she thought. _No traffic jam there._

Being back in the twenty-first century was not what she had hoped it to be. She found that she grew more and more impatient with it every passing day. The dragon had been right when he told her that she was not meant to live in that time.

As she drummed irritated on the steering wheel she let her thoughts wander back to the night she had escaped.

_The place she had chosen was not too far and not too close to the city. It was a part of the forest and hardly anyone ever came there. There was no game to be found and the area was too dense for picnics. The chances of anyone ever discovering that there was something off about this place were less than slim._

_She controlled her breathing and focused on her own time, a year and three weeks after she had been magically transported to this time. For the portal to open she chose a similar spot to this one, a deserted place in the woods behind her old home, where she had built a hut in the trees when she was just a little girl._

_She took another deep breath and started the enchantment. It was a long one and very complicated. She had practised it in her head when she rode down here, and she knew she could do it, even though she was still afraid she would mess it up somehow._

_But she banned all thought of failure out of her head, instead focusing on the spell, speaking the words clearly, out loud, not allowing herself to think of anything else. And she knew it worked, even as she was still speaking. The mist started to move in circles over the ground, even though there was no wind, moving upwards and changing the environment._

_The portal was still forming when she had concluded the spell. Alina could feel her magic, combined with the dragon's power pour into it, breaking through all the barriers of time and place. She could feel the power and even though she was afraid of it, she could also not help but feel relieved. It worked. It worked and she could go home._

_When it all was done, she felt exhausted. The spell had drained her of most of her energy and there hadn't even been much to begin with after spending two days in the cells and missing a night of sleep. But she immediately recognized the place she was looking at. It was only a five minutes' ride from her home._

_She looked back over her shoulder, glancing back one last time, even though she could not see the castle from where she stood. She knew it was there. In silence she told them all how sorry she was and how she would miss them. Then she locked her gaze on the road before her and walked into her own time again, leading the horse with her at the reins. _

_Tears escaped as she made her way to her old home. Her feelings were one huge mess, joy and sadness struggling for dominance and she experienced once again the feeling of being torn apart in two different directions. Why was her life never simple?_

_She could see the light in the house, an old, renovated farm positioned some hundreds of meters outside town, before she had left the woods. Relief washed over her as she realised that someone was home. Horror struck her as she realised that her counterpart could very well be there._

_She had hardly given the other Alina a moment's thought since she had accepted her destiny. The young woman did not matter anymore, not to her at least. But now she found herself wondering what the real princess had done here. Had she even told the truth about the swapped bodies or had she just done what Alina had done as well: pretend that she was the real Lynn? Alina could not help but get angry at the thought of how she would have stolen her life._

Calm down_, she ordered herself. _You have no idea what she did or didn't do. For all you know she has told them the truth.

_So she took a deep breath and then left the woods, crossing the last meadow lying between her and the house. From far she could see her father sitting on the sofa, frequently pointing the remote control at the television that she knew was there. And there was her younger sister, reading a book, every now and then remarking on the programs her father zapped past. And finally she saw them: her mother and the other Alina. Her counterpart helped her mother_ _cleaning away the tea cups and her mother embraced her, seemingly unaware of the fact that it was not really her daughter she was hugging._

_That had Alina's blood almost boiling. She had been through hell these last few days and to see the other Alina claim her life as if it was hers to take, that just was too much. Something inside her snapped. She tied the horse to the fence and then marched to the back door. Normally she would have hesitated to enter again after such a long time, but now the anger controlled her completely. She just threw open the door and strode inside._

_She could see the reactions of her family all too clearly. Her sister looked up, blinking in surprise. Her father dropped both his jaw and the remote control. Her mother only stared. Finally she looked at her counterpart with an expression that she knew Merlin and Arthur called her run-and-hide look behind her back. The imposter dropped the tea cups she was holding, her face as pale as a sheet, horror-struck._

'_That's impossible,' she whispered._

'_Hello again, Alina,' Alina said in an icy voice. 'Long time no see.'_

'_Lynn, who is that?' her mother asked._

_Alina took another deep breath to calm herself. She had trouble hiding the pain when her mother called the pretender by the name that had been given to her. 'That is not her name,' she said. 'It's mine.'_

_Utter confusion was written over all the faces in the room, save for that of the other Alina's. hers was still pale and even a little scared._

'_So, go on then, Alina,' Alina pressed. 'Tell them what you did. Tell them what happened on the day of the accident, what _really_ happened.'_

'_Why is she calling you Alina, Lynn?' her sister, Cathy, asked._

'_Tell them,' Alina ordered. 'And if you choose not to do it, I will do it. And believe me, that will not be pretty.'_

_The other Alina seemed to take her word for it. But then, she had known her since they had both been children. She had no reason to assume that she would not make good on that threat. She knew her well enough to know that she would not hesitate for a second._

'_I think it's best if we all sat down,' she proposed. It somehow pleased Alina that she had given her counterpart the shock of a lifetime. _Good, then she finally knows what she put me through.

'_I think that maybe you can come sit down as well, ehm…,' her mother had said._

_It pained her that her mother did not recognize her. She knew she looked a lot like her counterpart, almost as much as sisters, which they were in some way. She did not answer her mother's obvious question. The whole name thing was confusing for her as well and she had simply chosen to address her counterpart by her birth name, not entirely sure that she had not long lost the right to call herself that. As for herself, she knew who she was. Her name had been Alina ever since she had come to terms with her destiny, because Alina was her destined name. She wasn't sure anyone else here would understand that, however._

_Cathy moved aside a little, making room for her. Her younger sister was only fifteen and more curious than even Merlin and much worse than that it could hardly get. _

'_You can come sit here,' Cathy said. 'What happened to your dress?'_

_Alina only now took a second to check herself. She still wore the simple green dress she had worn on the day Arthur and she had gone to confront Uther about Aredian. Her stay in the dungeons had made it very dirty._

'_I had to stay in a dirty place for a while,' she replied. It was not the whole truth, but it was some of it. She made a promise to herself not to lie anymore. She had done that more than enough and just look what it brought her. _

'_You look perfectly horrible,' Cathy judged._

'_Don't worry, I know,' she muttered._

_The pretender started to tell her tale, everything. Alina had a feeling the young woman knew she would take it upon herself to tell the rest if she was not completely truthful. She told of their mutual dreams, the preparations, the spell and how she had taken the life that wasn't hers, living it like she had every right to do so. At the end of the story it wasn't just her father staring with his jaw dropped._

_Cathy had been the first to recover. She had stared into Alina's face, studying it closely. 'You do have Lynn's eyes,' she commented. 'You know, I always thought it strange how your eyes had suddenly changed to green instead of blue. I guess I now know how that could have happened.'_

_And Alina smiled, a genuine smile. Her little sister had recognized her. 'That's because I am your sister,' she said._

_Cathy suddenly hugged her without warning. Her mother and father added their arms to the embrace and Alina knew that it may not be yet, but that in the end everything would turn out right._

She had been right on that account. She had been welcomed home with love. Her family rejoiced. The other Alina, by now she had kind of gotten used to calling her Lynn, had stayed as well and to her the unpleasant duty had fallen to explain this situation to all the friends and family. Alina was kind of glad she did not have to do that. She had her own feelings, rage, grief and joy, to dig through and that was hard enough as it was without any extra complications on top of that.

Life had gone back to normal soon. The excitement of her story died away in a few weeks and Alina had tried to get her life back on track. She had continued her study of history and found a job in the local supermarket to make some money. She knew she would one day return to Camelot, like she was destined to do, but only heaven knew how long that was going to take, so she had to make the most of it.

But it had been two years now and not as much as a word had reached her from Camelot. How long would she have to wait before she was allowed to return? Her heart ached for all of them, but most of all she longed for Arthur. Would he miss her as much as she did him? Would he wait for her or would he go on with his life, married to another?

She hit the steering wheel in frustration, caused by both the traffic jam and the complete lack of information. _Come on, then, Merlin_, she thought. _Come, Arthur, bring me home._

But neither was anywhere in sight and she was stuck where she had been for the last hour. It didn't look like the end of her ordeal was near at hand.

**I'm sorry to say that I won't be able to update tomorrow. Saturday you get the next chapter!**


	47. Chapter 47

**Here's the next chapter for you. Read and review and have a great day.**

* * *

**Chapter 47**

**Merlin**

Merlin had been worrying for the best part of the last twenty-four hours, the period of worry and fear only being interrupted by the few hours of sleep he managed to get. What if Morgana would report to Uther what he had done to her? Heaven knew she had every right to be mad at him. So, over the last hours he had talked himself into believing that it was only a matter of time before the guards would burst in to arrest him.

And now Gaius was standing at his bedside, his face as solemn as Merlin had ever seen. 'Arthur has requested your presence,' he said. 'In Morgana's chambers.'

He really had to drag himself there, trying as much as he could not to think about what would happen there. He failed completely. Would there be guards waiting for him, dragging him to the executioner without delay? Would Morgana shout at him? Would Arthur run him through where he stood? Waves of nausea spread through his stomach and he felt a little dizzy.

If only he could hear Alina's voice inside his head, this whole thing would be slightly more bearable. But the talking over the mind link was apparently not possible over long distances. He really was alone in this.

He touched her last gift to him absent-mindedly. The spell she put on the stone would lead him straight to her, he knew. As he held it against his skin he had a sense of where she was. How he wanted to go to her, bring her back to Camelot. But something inside him told him that it was not yet the time. It was not yet safe for her here. Uther may have shown remorse for what he did to her, but he most certainly would not tolerate anyone with magic in his kingdom, no matter how well he liked them before.

He stopped when he heard voices in Morgana's chamber.

'I was kept in a cell for almost a year,' a very familiar voice spoke. 'I thought I'd go mad.'

Merlin's heart skipped a beat. How he had longed to hear her voice again. And now he did. Maybe it would be the last voice he heard on this earth, but at least he heard it and she sounded healthy and normal.

'How did you escape?' Arthur asked.

Merlin peeked around the corner to see Arthur and Morgana sitting on the bed, talking about what had happened to the king's ward in the past year. Morgana sounded so vulnerable, so fragile that Merlin would love to hold her and tell her that everything was fine now. And he wanted to tell her again how dreadfully sorry he was for everything she had suffered as a result of his actions.

'They moved me, about a week ago,' Morgana replied. 'I don't know why. It may have been the patrol from Camelot.'

'The patrol found you?' Arthur sounded surprised.

Morgana nodded. 'I thought I was going to be free. But then I saw them killed, every one of them cut down! But that night, the bandits were distracted by their spoils, so I took my chance. And when I saw you, I couldn't believe it!'

When she was talking Merlin had slowly walked in, not even giving his feet permission to do so. He just had to see her. And now he saw her being embraced by Arthur. And then he felt something strange, a sharp pang of pain and anger, mainly directed at Arthur. What on earth…?

He avoided Morgana's gaze when he knew she looked at him. He wasn't certain how to behave anymore.

'I think I need to rest,' Morgana told Arthur.

'Everything's going to be all right,' the prince assured her. 'You're safe now.'

Arthur got up and left the room and Merlin automatically prepared to walk after him, relieved that nothing had been said about him or what he had done.

He was stopped by the witch's voice. 'Merlin.'

A shiver went down his spine and it was as if his inside had turned to ice in one second time. The king's ward did not exactly sound angry or hateful, but it did not sound very friendly either.

He slowly turned around, facing her, afraid what he might find.

'I want to speak to you,' she said.

Uh-oh. This was it, then, the talk that would decide the rest of his life, the length of that life. He moved a few steps closer.

'I know what you did,' she began. 'You tried to poison me.'

'I didn't want to!' he said, almost begging for her to understand. 'It was either you or the kingdom. I hated what I had to do, but there was no other choice and…' He started to ramble again, he realised.

Fortunately Morgana interrupted him before he could get really incoherent. 'It's all right, Merlin, I understand,' she said.

He thought he was dreaming. How could she be saying those words in the waking world? After everything he had done, she still understood. Tears of joy escaped, rolling down his cheeks and he did not even really care.

'You were just trying to protect your friends,' she said. 'I would have done the same.' She even smiled at him.

'Really?' he asked. It still sounded too good to be true.

'I was so naïve, Merlin,' she said, tears also in her eyes. 'I don't think I really understood what I was doing. But believe me, I have seen the evils in this world. Merlin, you don't know how much I regret everything that I've done!' Her voice broke and it took Merlin everything he had not to rush forward and comfort her. 'I just… I hope that you can forgive me?'

He wondered what Alina would have said had she been here. He somehow doubted her ever saying to hold back. She always was in favour of everyone telling how they felt. He could almost hear her voice, as if she were standing right beside him. _Go on, then, Merlin, tell her._

He took another few careful steps in her direction. 'I'm so sorry for everything you've been through,' he told her. 'And I'm so sorry for what I did to you back then, Morgana. I wished there was another way…' His voice trailed off, but he saw Morgana still smiling at him.

_Come on, Merlin_, he told himself. _That was nowhere near good enough._

'It's so good to have you back,' he blurted out, before thinking about it. 'And… ehm… well, don't leave again, Morgana. We'd miss you too much.'

'Don't worry,' she said. 'I'm not going anywhere.'

He decided that his apology was still not good enough. Arthur would say that it needed a polish. And that was exactly what he did when he opened his mouth again. 'Can you forgive me for what I did to you, Morgana?' he begged. 'I know I don't deserve it,' he felt obliged to add.

She smiled again, tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. 'Of course, Merlin.'

'Merlin!' Arthur's voice bellowed from somewhere in the castle. The servant could not help but sigh in annoyance. You'd almost say that Arthur could not make it without him one minute. And while it felt good to be needed, there also was a point where it could be too much.

Morgana chuckled. 'Arthur hasn't changed much, has he?'

Merlin grinned. 'He's still as much of a clotpole as he ever was,' he agreed.

She laughed out loud now. 'You'd better go and see what he wants then,' she said.

'Before he has me thrown in the stocks,' Merlin nodded. He made his way out of the room.

Before he could leave it, however, he was called back by Morgana. 'Merlin?'

He peeked back into the room. 'Yes?'

'I'm glad we're friends again,' she said.

'So am I,' Merlin said. He could not think of words that were more true than those.

**Arthur**

Arthur was supposed to be happy and in a way he was. After all, they had found Morgana, which was more than they could have ever hoped for. After more than a year he had kind of started to give up any hopes of ever finding her again. He had even believed in the possibility of her death. So her sudden appearance in the woods was a very welcome, albeit unexpected, sight.

And now she was home again. She was brought back home two days ago and already things were almost back to normal in Camelot, save for the feast that was planned for that evening to celebrate Morgana's safe return.

But Arthur knew that there was still another thing that was not back to normal and while he realised that, he also had to admit that it had not been really Morgana he had been looking for over the last year.

He threw his quill on his desk with more force than necessary. For a moment, just a moment, he had believed that the fragile figure making her way to them in that forest was his missing fiancée. But when the blond hair had turned out to be black, his heart had dropped. No matter how glad he was to have Morgana back, it was not her he wanted to see most.

Merlin had reassured him time and again that Alina would be fine, that she had opened a portal in time somewhere and that she was reunited with her family. When Arthur had questioned him about that, demanded if she had told him over the mind link, he had, however, confessed that that did not work over such a long distance, so that he actually knew nothing. That had not done much to improve his mood.

Deep down inside he knew Alina was more than capable of looking after herself. She had her magic, she had her skill with weapons and she was highly intelligent. She would survive. Besides, she had promised that one day she would return to Camelot. He had to have faith that she would make good on that promise. She had never once broken one.

He was disturbed by Merlin, who came in without knocking. Arthur hardly noticed it anymore these days. He had accepted long ago that it would be pointless to try and get Merlin to knock on doors. That was a battle already fought and lost.

This did, however, not mean that he could not joke about it. 'Ever heard about knocking, Merlin?'

The servant pretended to be confused. 'What kind of word is that?'

'Obviously one you have never heard of,' Arthur remarked.

Merlin grimaced. 'You ought to have been at the banquet hall five minutes ago,' Merlin said, not reacting to the prince's words. No surprise there, either.

'Am I?'

'Your father is not very pleased,' Merlin told him, the look on his face telling him that _not pleased_ was a huge understatement.

Arthur sighed and made his way down to the banquet hall. Of course his father would want everything to be perfect for Morgana. He would do anything to please her. He had sacrificed the lives of many men in his attempt to find her, even risking Arthur's to get her back.

That stung, in more ways than one. Sometimes it felt like Uther cared more for his ward than he did for his son. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way round? But no, Arthur had risked his life countless times in the last year (not that he had ever been in any danger with Merlin around), but yet he hadn't gotten as much as a _thank you_. That complete lack of recognition for what he had done hurt more than he would ever admit.

The other thing that stung was of course related to Alina. He sometimes started to wonder if there was anything that would not remind him of her. When she had gone missing, his father had never once even considered sending out a search party, had not even allowed Arthur to go and search for her himself. He had not even taken the trouble to inquire as to where she had gone. He was simply content to believe that she had fled the kingdom.

And that was after all Alina had done for all of them. He had pressed Merlin to tell him everything that Alina had done and his servant was all too happy to oblige. What followed was a wondrous tale of fighting beasts, witches and assassins. And yet the only thing Camelot had done to her was sentencing her to death because she had accomplished all those great deeds by using magic.

As he entered the hall, he put his sad mood behind him. Tonight he would be happy for Morgana's sake. There would be time enough to think about Alina, but it would be unkind for the woman who was almost like a sister to him, not to be in a good mood at her return, when they had been hoping for that for so long.

There was excellent food, there was music and the general mood was cheerful. Arthur could see how glad his father was, laughing, smiling. He chatted mostly with Morgana. It wasn't like that was new, but he felt left out and he missed Alina even more.

Uther drank far more alcohol than Arthur would think wise and he saw how it affected him. By the time it was time for the speech, he was almost tolling on his legs.

'Standing here,' he began. 'Seeing so many happy faces, it seems almost like a dream.'

_Well, at least he sounds kind of sober_, Arthur thought.

'I can tell you, I have not felt like this in a long time,' the king continued.

The temptation was too great. 'What, drunk?' he teased.

His father hit him with his napkin, but Arthur could tell he was not angry. In his eyes he saw gratefulness. That was enough for Arthur. He would never get those appreciating words he so longed for, but this look told him his father was grateful. That was enough for the prince to do this whole search all over again.

'Drunk with happiness,' the king corrected, before addressing Morgana. 'I would have searched the world, the seas, the skies, the stars for that smile.'

She smiled happily, blushing a little.

'To have it stolen from me was like a blade to my heart,' Uther said. Arthur knew those words came straight from his heart. 'Morgana, there are no words. You mean more to me than you will ever know.' When he reached this point in his speech, he was almost crying. He took his glass, toasting it. 'To the Lady Morgana.'

This toast was echoed by all those present. Arthur toasted in Morgana's direction. She smiled widely back at him.

'Good to have you back,' he told her.

'Good to be back.'

Everyone seemed to have a good time, but Arthur could not really enjoy himself. Whether it was Alina's absence or some kind of jealousy at Morgana getting so much attention and praise while Arthur felt neglected at best, he could not be truly happy.

_Honestly, Arthur, what's wrong with you?_ he snapped at himself. _What's so difficult about being happy for them? Even Merlin's looking happier than you!_

Uther stumbled again. 'I need some air,' he said, before making his way out of the hall.

Arthur just sat and sipped his wine, trying his hardest to keep his smile on his face. He did not have the idea that it was really working.

It seemed like an eternity before the endless feast was being disturbed by a guard. He came in, looked around and then walked straight over to him.

'Prince Arthur, your presence is required as a matter of urgency,' he said, his voice hushed.

'What is it?' Arthur asked.

'I think you had better see that for yourself, my lord,' the guard said.

Arthur stood up, highly annoyed. Well, he guessed anything was better than attending a feast while he was in less than a celebrating mood, but then, he wasn't in the mood for anything at the moment. What he really wanted was to get to his room and hide himself away until he did feel like doing something.

The guard led him to the courtyard. Arthur's eyes needed some time to adjust to the sudden darkness after all the bright lights in the banquet hall. When they had, he noticed some guards and Gaius standing over a figure lying on the ground. It took him some seconds to realise that this person lying there was wearing a crown, and was in fact his father. It took him another few seconds to realise that he was crying desperately.


	48. Chapter 48

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter. Please read and review!**

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**Chapter 48**

**Alina**

Alina had retreated into her old tree hut, simply staring at the gap in time. There was mist swirling around it, moving in a wind that could not be felt. Even if you did not believe in magic, you could feel there was something strange about the place. But since no one ever came here, she guessed she would be the only one to ever notice.

She was supposed to be in the kitchen, helping her mother prepare all the little snacks for tomorrow's party in honour of the thirty years marriage of her parents, but she wasn't sure she was in the mood for celebrating anything. She had seen the date on the kitchen's calendar and had suddenly lost all her cheerfulness.

Two years. Two whole years to the date had gone by since she had fled Camelot. As she realised that, she had simply dropped everything and walked out. She needed to be alone.

She had explained only the most basic things to her family, that she had ended up in the Middle Ages, that she had inherited magical powers from Lynn and that she had been banished from the place where she had been living because of them. She guessed that Lynn had put two and two together, but she had not spoken of it, maybe for fear of infuriating Alina even more.

Where it came to the former owner of her body, Alina found herself unable to forgive her. Meeting the woman in person made her no more sympathetic towards her than years and years of dreams had done. She was still rude, she was still arrogant and she was still selfish. But what really made up Alina's mind on this subject was her complete lack of remorse for what she had done. She believed her actions to be perfectly justified. Alina couldn't stand the sight of her, so she avoided her as much as possible.

'Cathy told me you'd be here,' a familiar voice said.

Ugh, speaking of the devil. 'I want to be alone, Lynn. Get out.'

The former princess climbed up that ladder anyway, seating herself on the platform. 'It's not your private property, Alina.'

'Do I need to use magic to get you to leave or will you just go quietly?'

She ignored that. 'I know why you're here,' she said. 'It's the date, isn't it? Two years since you were forced to leave Camelot.'

Hearing that name spoken out loud was like a blade twisting in her stomach. It hurt too much to think about what she had lost that day and she would not, under any circumstance, show that grief to this evil woman.

'Why I'm here is none of your concern,' she told her in an icy voice. 'Now I suggest that you take your leave. I did not ask for your company and neither did I want it.'

'You are still angry with me,' Lynn concluded. 'It's been three years since I made us change places and you still are not over it.'

'Try to guess why. I take it you have a brain, so try using it for once,' Alina snapped, folding he arms around her knees.

'Is it because I stole your life?'

'In part, yes.'

'Is it because you didn't get the chance to say goodbye?'

Ugh, why did she have to sound so understanding? Alina just wanted to remain angry with her. She had to be angry with someone and she did not dare to risk pointing her anger at the king who had forced her to come back here in the first place, for fear of what might happen then. She had seen the series often enough to know what it did to Morgana and she had sworn long ago that that would never ever happen to her.

She sighed. 'That's another part, but still not the main reason.'

Lynn threw her hands in the air. 'Okay, I give up. Can you tell me?'

'It's because you show no sign of remorse for what you did!' she exclaimed. 'Quite the contrary, really. You act as if you were completely right to do what you did! You stole my life, yes, but I was doing great there in your time, so that's not why I'm angry with you. It's just because you behave as if you had every right to claim a life that wasn't yours, even now.'

'Hang on a sec, you liked it there? So, you're not mad for being forced to live in a time that's totally backwards, but because I have no regrets over what I did?' Lynn summarized.

'Precisely. I'm glad you get it and would you now just leave, please?'

She didn't need anyone else with her, least of all this woman, when the memories of that one year spent in Camelot were going around in her head. Her friendship with Merlin, her relationship with Arthur. Even when things were difficult, those two had always been there for her.

She had heard nothing from Merlin since she left, not a word. Apparently talking with their minds was impossible over long distances.

Arthur was still very much present in her life. Their bond did not seem to be bothered by the distance between them. It was still as clear as if she were standing right next to him. Most of the time she blocked it out. It was very useless round here, not to mention distracting. But now, when she wanted to be anywhere but here, she let herself drown in his feelings.

They mirrored her own. He was restless and worried up to a point where it was very close to panic. He had felt like this a lot since she left. Could it be that he missed her as much as she missed him? Neither of them had truly been feeling happy or peaceful since that eventful night when she had escaped. How long would it be before she could return?

Lynn's voice penetrated her thoughts again. 'You're just mad because you had to leave, aren't you?'

Alina sighed again. 'Why do you even care, Lynn? Since when do you care about anyone but yourself anyway?'

'Since… well, I don't know exactly when. I just had this feeling that you were unhappy and that I may have something to do with that. And, you know, I wanted to tell you that I never wanted for you to be.'

'Is that an apology?'

She shrugged. 'Consider it one. The point is that I was really thought that I was doing you a favour as well when I made us swap bodies. You never seemed pleased with your own time when I spoke to you, so… Well, I guess I should have asked you first.'

'How was dumping me in the Middle Ages, having magic in a kingdom where it is forbidden supposed to make me happy?' She could feel that the other woman was trying to apologize, but Alina wasn't sure she was in the forgiving mood.

'You're even worse at apologizing than Arthur,' she muttered.

'I wondered about him,' Lynn said. 'Did you marry him?'

'I was going to,' she mumbled reluctantly. 'That was until my magic was discovered.' _Until I exposed myself_, she thought. She did not really regret what she had done that day. She would do it again without a moment's hesitation. But it had cost her. She had saved a life and Camelot had reacted by sentencing her to die at the stake. Tears burned behind her eyes.

She was surprised when Lynn laid a hand on her knee, almost in a comforting gesture. 'Sorry to hear that. Truly.' She smiled apologetically. 'I guess I have been an intolerable selfish bitch back then.'

'You were,' Alina agreed.

'But I'm trying to fix that,' Lynn continued. 'All I ask is that you give me a chance.'

'Whatever you say,' Alina said. 'You could begin by getting out of here as fast as you can.'

'Of course,' Lynn said. She shrugged. 'I just wanted you to know.'

Alina was glad when she finally left. She just sat there watching at the portal, hoping and praying for a swift return, as she had done for two years on end.

**Arthur**

Arthur's life had turned to a nightmare. To see his father in such a delicate condition, jumping at shadows, crying in public, had been more than he could stomach at the moment. And the worst of it was that he had no idea how it could have happened.

First there had been the incident after the feast last night. Gaius said that his father claimed to have seen his mother in the well in the square. The court physician blamed it on exhaustion, but Arthur wasn't completely backward. He could feel that the old man was holding out on him. Gaius had been far too worried to hide it.

Arthur knew there were rumours. People had seen it and those people had told the tale of the king's illness to their friends and family. Not twelve hours later the story was buzzing around the markets, making sure that every citizen of Camelot knew.

That wasn't even the worst part. There had been rumours that king Cenred was hiring mercenaries for months, but for the first time, it had been confirmed. Just when Arthur thought it couldn't get any worse. Cenred had been wanting Camelot for as long as anyone could remember, so it wasn't really surprising that he had decided to give it another try. It was, however, unfortunate that he had decided to launch another attack at this point in time. Arthur did not believe that was coincidence.

He had given this news to his father in front of the entire council. And since everything was already going very wrong, it should not have been a surprise that this council meeting resulted in disaster either.

At first, everything seemed to be back to normal. The king appeared normal. He listened, asked questions and gave orders. Then, from a certain moment he had simply stared at a point somewhere behind Arthur. He had looked over his shoulder, but no one was there. It had gotten even worse when he started talking to whatever it was he was seeing there. Leon and Arthur had been forced to drag him out, but the damage had already been done. Everyone had seen it.

And now he was sitting at his desk, staring at papers he wasn't really reading. His thoughts were with his father. Gaius had sent the king to bed, giving him a sleeping draught to give him some peace.

Arthur had not dared to ask for an explanation. He had come up with his own. He knew Uther's father had lost his mind in the last years of his life. What if that was hereditary? What if his father had begun to lose his mind? Arthur hardly dared to even consider that option. It had to be something else. It had to be, because there was no way his strong decisive father would ever succumb to such weakness.

He was disturbed when the door opened and Merlin came in with his dinner. The servant did not look like his normally cheerful self either.

'Supper, sire,' he said.

Arthur sighed. 'Tell me, Merlin, what should I do?'

'Sire?'

'You heard me, Merlin. What should I do?'

'It's not my place to say, sire,' Merlin said, looking at his shoes.

Arthur groaned in frustration. Today of all days Merlin would choose to try to be the ideal servant. But that was not what the prince needed right now. He wanted the annoying, hugely irritating Merlin who called him names that didn't even exist, who tripped over his own feet, and called him fat, but who also would give him good advice from time to time.

'It's your place when I say it is,' Arthur told him. 'And stop calling me _sire_ all the while. It's getting on my nerves,' he added as an afterthought.

The warlock finally seemed to get the message. A slight smile formed on his face. 'Whatever you say, your royal clotpoleness.'

'So, what should I do, Merlin?' Arthur asked again. 'Surely you have some ideas.'

'What gives you that impression?' he asked, grinning widely. 'You seem to think I'm a complete idiot most of the time.'

_But you aren't, are you?_ Arthur thought. _You're the most powerful warlock to have ever lived. _

Arthur could not explain why he hadn't told Merlin that he knew about him, yet. After all, he had known for two years now. Maybe it was because he thought it wiser to keep Merlin's secret, as Alina had done. There was apparently a lot Merlin could do behind the scenes and he wouldn't want to get in the way. Another reason for not letting Merlin know was perhaps that he wanted Merlin to come to him, show him that he trusted Arthur enough to share the greatest secret he had.

'You are,' he agreed. 'But sometimes, amongst all your chatter, you say something that is almost wise. So, I figured I should give it a try.'

Merlin knew him long enough to know that Arthur had just confessed how much he valued his advice. There would never be any real words of affection spoken between them, but Arthur felt that wasn't really needed. They knew the other was willing to lay down his life for the other. In Merlin Arthur had found a best friend, something he hadn't really had before, so it had taken him a long time to recognize the clumsy warlock in disguise for what he was: a true friend.

Merlin hesitated.

'Come on, Merlin, I know you have something to say,' Arthur pressed. 'Say it.'

'Alina,' he replied immediately.

'Alina?' he echoed, not understanding.

Merlin shrugged. 'She's very good at healing. Have you considered going to find her, and ask her to heal your father?'

He stared at his servant, struck speechless for once.

Merlin had seen that of course. 'It was just an idea,' he muttered. 'And I've never seen an injury or illness that she could not fix. And, well, it's just, I know she would be wanting to help.'

'How can you be so sure, Merlin? After all that she has been through, why would she even consider helping my father, the man who sentenced her to death in the first place?'

'She forgave him, remember?' Merlin said. 'And I know Alina. She would do anything for Camelot. Besides, she promised she would return.'

'You think she would come and use magic to heal my father?' Arthur asked sceptically.

There was not a hint of doubt as the servant nodded without thinking. His faith in the princess was really something strange: unwavering, almost blind trust in her good character and willingness to undertake something as risky as he had just suggested.

'Really?'

'I think she knows what's going on here the moment you tell her. She would call it a big event and she would know everything about it,' Merlin said.

'But why would she come back, Merlin?'

Merlin looked at him like he was the most stupid person on earth. 'Because she loves you, dollophead!' he exclaimed. 'And because it is her destiny to be here, at your side, changing the legend as she knows it,' he added as an afterthought, but Arthur could tell that was not the main reason.

The prince found it hard to believe that Alina would still love him after all this time. Yes, of course he had helped her escape, but that did not change the horrors she had had to live through. And if he had been her, healing the king with magic would have been the last thing he would have done.

When they spoke of Alina's return to Camelot, he had always assumed it would be when he was king, so that he could protect her. He had not counted on her returning while his father was still alive.

There were, in short, a number of problems with Merlin's suggestion and he told him a much. 'Even if what you're saying is true, Merlin,' he said. 'We still have no way of contacting her. We do not even know where she is and how far away she is. For all we know she has gone back to Connor's court.'

'She hasn't,' Merlin stated.

'And how can you be so certain?' he asked warily.

Merlin took a necklace from around his neck, laying it on the table before Arthur. The prince picked it up, studying it closely. He recognized that stone. It had been Alina's gift to Merlin.

But he still didn't know how this was going to help them. 'How is this supposed to help?'

'She spelled it,' Merlin explained, not in the least impressed by Arthur's demanding and sceptical voice. 'It leads the bearer of the stone straight to her.'

Wait a minute…. 'Does that mean that you've been to see her?' He could not remember jumping up from his chair, but when he checked again, he had.

Merlin backed away. 'No, of course not! I'm not an idiot.'

Arthur begged to differ, but he did not have the time to do it now. 'Then how can you know, _Mer_lin?'

He shrugged. 'I have found the portal in time,' he confessed. 'It's only an hour's ride from the city and Alina told me she would make the portal somewhere close to her old home.'

Arthur's jaw had dropped. This sounded too good to be true. Alina had been only an hour's ride away all this time? He should not feel so glad at hearing that, but somehow it felt like she had not wanted to go too far from Camelot, from him. Could there be a chance…?

He did not even dare finish that thought for fear he may be wrong. 'So close…,' he whispered.

'I think you should ask her,' Merlin advised him in a matter-of-fact tone. He walked away before Arthur could say any more.

Of course there was no way he was getting any peace of mind after this conversation. If one thing could be said about his good for nothing servant, it was that he knew how to rob a man of a good night's sleep. He was tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position, so that he might fall asleep. But of course, as long as this was on his mind, there was no way he would find any position that would do the job. The whole night he was debating with himself whether he should go to find Alina, or that he would remain here and find another solution to his problems. The debate was still undecided when he finally fell asleep.

He woke far too late. The sun was already high in the heavens when he opened his eyes again.

_Where's Merlin?_ his first thought was. Could it be…? No, surely he would not take it upon himself to find Alina without his permission? He wouldn't dare!

But Arthur could not be sure, so he dressed himself (he could not remember the last time he did that) and made his way to Gaius' chambers, grabbing his crossbow as he walked out, because he suddenly remembered he had an archery training to go to late in the morning.

As he marched through the castle, his thoughts were focused mainly on Alina and Merlin. He would not put it past the warlock to find the princess himself. But then, Merlin would probably not do that. Arthur knew him well. Merlin would never do something which would make Arthur feel really uncomfortable (his embarrassing jokes did not really count). Besides, the necklace had still been lying on his desk and without it, there was no way they could find her.

He burst into Gaius' chambers. 'Where is that halfwit?' he demanded.

Gaius was busy preparing potions at his bench. He looked up in surprise. 'Merlin?' he checked.

Arthur marched in. 'I've got no socks, no breeches and an archery session to go to,' he explained angrily. 'Merlin!' he yelled in the direction of the servant's room. The only logical explanation for this was that the young man had overslept, as he would do every now and then.

'I thought he was with you, sire,' Gaius said.

Wait, Merlin wasn't here and he wasn't gone to find Alina either. Somehow there was something not right about that. And Arthur would never admit it, but now he did feel a little worried. His servant did have a talent to get himself into trouble…

'What?' he asked.

'He didn't come home last night,' the old physician explained. 'I can't find him.' There was some genuine worry in his voice. He thought there was something strange about this situation as well.

_What are you doing, Merlin?_ Arthur moaned to himself. But the worry and lack of sleep translated back into anger when he addressed Gaius again. 'When you do, you can tell him _he_'s the target!'

After that he marched out again. He had snapped at Gaius, but that was mainly because he felt that he was losing control and there was nothing he could do about it. Merlin could be God knows where, getting himself into trouble, his father was gravely ill. It was about time something was done about it. And he knew exactly what it was that needed to be done.

He ordered a passing serving boy to make sure that his horse was saddled and then went back to his chambers, changing into his armour.

He was just finishing this, when sir Leon came in. 'Sire,' he bowed.

'Sir Leon,' he greeted back.

'Word has it you're leaving,' the knight said.

News did travel fast here, Arthur observed. 'I am,' he replied.

'But sire…,' Leon started to protest.

Arthur raised his hand to shut him up. 'I will be back before sunset,' he promised. 'But there is something I need to do.'

Leon's face went blank.

'I'm going to find a solution to my father's illness,' he explained. 'I need you to look after my father until I am back.'

'Of course, my lord,' Leon said. 'I shall go and see to it immediately.' He bowed and left the room.

Arthur grabbed his sword and Merlin's necklace from his desk. He held the stone against the light, hesitating only a little. His mind was made up. They were in the greatest mess they had been in since… well, he could not think of an occasion. They needed someone who could help them fix it. He knew only of one such person. It was time to get Alina back.

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**So, is she coming back or not? Find out tomorrow!**


	49. Chapter 49

**Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 49**

**Alina**

This whole party was a very bad idea. Of course, she loved to see her parents enjoy themselves, but she still had not come out of her melancholy mood. But spending one year in Camelot had taught her how to hide her real feelings and make polite conversation with guests, no matter how she felt.

The party was being held in their own enormous back garden, for which she was grateful. At least she could easily escape to her own room when it all became too much. She had a feeling that time would be very soon. The guests had only started to arrive a few hours ago and already she felt like she was suffocating. She did not belong here and neither should she be trying. It felt infinitely wrong.

'You look amazing,' Cathy remarked.

The two sisters had both retreated to the kitchen with the excuse that they needed to fetch more drinks for their guests. For Cathy that might be true, for Alina it wasn't. She just needed a break.

'Thank you,' she said.

The dress-code was gala, so she had decided to wear one of her beautiful Camelot dresses. She wore the blue one, the dress that looked very much like the one she had worn whilst fighting Sigan and his pets. It was one of her favourites, but she regretted her choice almost immediately. This thing attracted far too much attention and there were too many memories attached to this dress. Feasts spend talking and laughing with Arthur, magical training sessions with Morgana, exposing the troll…

'Are you all right?' Cathy asked. 'You look a little sick, actually.'

'I'm fine, Cathy.'

'Lynn said you were a little sad,' her sister remarked, leaning against the kitchen table. 'Because of something that happened in the Middle Ages.'

_Leave it to Lynn to inform Cathy_, she thought angrily. Maybe she had done it only to do something good, as an example of how sorry she was, but Alina thought she could have it done it better in another way. Cathy was still as nosy as she had always been and she was not going to stop asking questions until she had received an answer.

She forced her face back into a smile. 'I'm fine,' she repeated.

'Don't believe you,' her sister told her.

'Shame,' Alina retorted.

She cocked her head. 'You don't want to talk about it, then?' she tried.

'Nope. Not at all.' She never did. She wasn't sure she could share the memories of that eventful year with anyone. Besides, she wasn't sure what people would say when she told them that she had spent a year in a television show. She could picture their faces too easily. Before she knew it, she would be stuck in some facility, because people would assume that she had lost her mind. She guessed they would have a point there. How likely was it for something like this to happen after all? When she had not experienced it herself, she would have thought it was beyond ridiculous, too.

Cathy looked like she was going to ask again, but then someone outside screamed, a high-pitched noise that made very clear that there was something very wrong.

The sisters exchanged a glance. 'That was mom,' Cathy whispered.

Alina dropped everything when she realised her sister was right. She picked up her skirts and ran outside, with Cathy following closely behind. She wasn't sure what was going on, but if someone was in danger, she was more than capable of dealing with it. She had been practising with her sword almost daily and her magic was as strong as ever.

When she came back into the garden she crashed into a group of guests at full speed. Everyone was backing away towards the house. Alina could sense the tension in the air. People were genuinely afraid.

'What's going on?' she demanded of the first guest she saw, which happened to be her aunt.

'Go back inside, child,' she urged her.

'Aunt Emma, what's happening?' she repeated.

'There's a man, with a sword,' the whispered reply was. Alina could tell her aunt was truly terrified.

A man, with a sword? Why on earth would anyone want to attack her family with a sword? It made no sense. In this time anyone would rather use a gun or something like that to attack a group of people. Anyone from this time would… But what if this man was not from this time at all?

'Impossible,' she whispered. And then, louder: 'Let me through.'

'You don't know what you're saying, child!' her aunt exclaimed.

'Believe me, I know what I'm doing,' she reassured her.

'He may hurt you!'

'I'm not afraid of swords,' she told her aunt. 'Now let me through.' When her aunt did not obey, she simply pushed her aside. She had to push a whole lot of other people out of her way, all of them going in the opposite direction.

'I mean you no harm!' a familiar voice called out. Alina's heart stopped. What on earth was he doing here? 'I merely wish to speak to the Lady Alina.'

_Arthur!_ she rejoiced. He was here, he'd found her!

She worked her way through the last lines of people and suddenly found herself in a clearing, facing a man she had not seen for two years. For a moment she could only stare, drinking in the sight of him, unable to speak.

Arthur had hardly changed. In fact, he looked like no time at all had passed since they had seen each other for the last time. He was dressed in the usual chainmail and deep red cloak of a knight of Camelot. He had his sword in his hand and around his neck hung the stone she had given to Merlin.

She could not help but smile. 'Well, here I am,' she told him.

When he saw her, he smiled as well, but for once in his life, prince Arthur Pendragon was absolutely speechless.

'I doubt you're here for the party,' she tried. There was nothing she would rather do than run into his arms, but she had no idea if that would be appreciated, so she went for her light voice.

That seemed to wake him up. 'No, Alina.'

'Then why are you here?' _Please say it's to take me home._

'My father,' Arthur replied, sounding nervous. 'He's very ill and Gaius can't help him. I know I have no right to ask it of you, not after everything that happened, but then Merlin said you would want to be asked and now he's missing…'

Alina raised her hand to make him stop. Her head was buzzing with all the information he had given her. She wasn't sure she could process it all. The king was ill. Merlin was missing. What on earth had happened there?

'What kind of illness?' she demanded, moving closer to him, unable to stop herself. It still felt like this was hallucination that could disappear the moment she tried to touch it.

Arthur looked slightly uncomfortable. She suddenly remembered that everyone was still watching, or rather staring, at them.

'Don't you have something to celebrate or something?' she asked in an irritated voice.

'He has a sword,' someone pointed out.

'Lower the bloody thing, Arthur,' she ordered.

'But…,' he started to protest.

'No one here is going to hurt you,' she told him. 'Now put it away.'

As the prince put away the sword and the guests hesitantly went back to their party conversations (although Alina could very easily guess at the subject of the conversations), she walked over to the Once and Future King, leading him away from the garden, into the meadow.

'I can't believe you're finally here,' she said as soon as they were out of earshot.

'Neither can I,' Arthur said.

She had no idea as to how she should behave in his presence. He had taken great risks to break her out of prison when they had last seen each other, but two years was a long period of time. What if his feelings had changed?

She decided that she should be the one to take the initiative here, because they might find themselves in a very awkward situation if she did not.

'I still love you,' she stated, directly after that wondering if that wasn't a bit too much.

The prince looked lost for words and she felt her cheeks colour bright red. What had she been thinking?

'Right, well, if you don't….,' she mumbled.

Next moment his lips landed on hers, kissing her like before, like there had been no time lost at all. The kiss left her breathless and when he ended it, she could only stare at him.

'On second thought…,' she remarked.

'I'm sorry,' Arthur said.

'Nothing to be sorry for,' she assured him. 'You're here to bring me home, aren't you?'

The prince nodded, serious again. 'My father, I fear he's losing his mind. Merlin said you might be the only one that is capable of healing him.'

She closed her eyes a moment, remembering only one moment in the series where Uther was losing his mind. But that could not be happening now, could it? She had changed Morgana's fate, so there was no way this part of the legend would really happen. She had prevented it!

'What has happened these last few days?' she demanded.

The hope lit up Arthur's face. 'You know about this? Is this one of your big events?'

'You definitely talked to Merlin,' she concluded from his choice of words. 'And, to answer your question, I sincerely hope that I don't. Please, tell me, Arthur.'

'Morgana has been missing for over a year. My father was hell-bent on finding her, so we kept on searching,' he told her.

She moaned. 'You recently found her, didn't you?' _Merlin, what on earth have you been doing? Haven't you listened to a word I said?_ 'And now Merlin's gone missing. Great, just great!' Sarcasm was too obvious to miss.

'So, you do know about this?'

She nodded. 'Your father is not ill. He's under a spell that causes him to see visions of his worst fears.'

'Will you fix it?' He sounded like he wasn't sure. How could he not be? Hadn't she promised him to always be there for him when he needed her, hadn't she promised him to return? How could he have so little faith in her?

She snorted. 'Of course. What do you think? Just give me the time to change into something more suitable for the job.'

'Are you not afraid of changing legend?' he asked.

Was that what he thought? Typical. She grinned widely at him. 'Legend can go to hell,' she told him.

**Arthur**

Arthur felt more than a little uncomfortable sitting in this strange place amongst these strange people, who kept glancing in his direction like he could attack them any moment. It was a small consolation that they were as uneasy in his presence as he was in theirs. Alina had gone inside to change her clothes and had left him in one of these weird little chairs. People kept staring at him, giving him the urge to leave here as quickly as he could.

Being stared at was not the most pleasant of experiences, and certainly not one Arthur was very used to or wanted to get used to. It made him feel out of place, like he was some absurdity and not the prince of Camelot. How Alina could survive in a place like this was entirely beyond him.

But then, she did not really survive here, did she? Even though she had tried to make a joke out of it, Arthur knew by the look in her eyes how much she hated to be here and how much she longed to go home. Her eyes had lit up with joy the moment she saw him, where there had been confusing as to what was going on only moments earlier. And if he might have had any doubts as to how she felt about his sudden appearance, they had vanished the moment she had told him that she still loved him. There was nothing to misinterpret about that, nor had there been about that kiss he had given her as a reply.

Maybe that bloody dragon had been right about her. It _was_ her destiny to be at his side, in Camelot. If he needed any more proof for that statement, he only had to look at the mess they had managed to create in her absence. They needed her back in Camelot to help them prevent anything like that ever happening again, but, above all, _he_ needed her back in Camelot. And when she had healed his father (_when_ because he had no doubt that she could and would do it), that was a conversation he was happy to have with the king. Just one thing was certain: Alina would not leave again.

He was thinking so hard about all this that he did not notice the approaching man until he was only meters away. But when he did see him, he was very hard to miss. The man was tall, grey-haired, but not much older than his own father. Judging by the colour of his eyes, the same clear blue as Alina's, he believed him to be her father.

He stood up. 'Sir,' he greeted.

Alina's father wasted no time on formalities. 'Who are you?' he snapped.

'I'm sorry?' Arthur said. This was not how people used to address him, except of course for Merlin. But then, this man clearly wasn't Merlin.

'You heard me,' he said, sounding very angry. 'You come here out of nowhere, swinging a sword at my guests, demanding to talk to my daughter and now you think you can take her with you without asking my permission first and without as much as mentioning your name?'

Arthur hadn't even thought about that. The only thought in his head had been to find Alina and bring her back to where she belonged. As much as he had come because all of Camelot needed her to solve their problems, even though they did not realise it themselves, he had also come to right the wrongs that were done to her.

'I offer you my sincerest apologies, sir,' he said, speaking to him as if he were a noble, which he probably was. Why else would Alina's father talk to him in the way that he had? Only nobles spoke in such ordering voices at the prince of Camelot and even they did not have the nerves most of the time. 'Had I known who you were, I would have spoken to you first, but I had never had the pleasure of meeting Alina's father before.'

'Hmm,' the older man snorted. 'You still haven't answered my question, young man. So I demand to know who you are and where you think you're taking my daughter.'

'My name is Arthur Pendragon,' he introduced himself. 'And I have come to take Alina back to Camelot, sir.'

Alina's father backed away as if Arthur had hit him physically. But that was only a second. The next second anger flashed across his face. He stepped back forward, grabbing the prince by his cloak, forcing him to face him. 'Don't you dare play games with me!' he growled.

'Sir, I assure you that I am playing no games!' he exclaimed, uncomfortably aware of how many heads were turned by their argument. Arthur still wondered how on earth he had managed to offend this man. He came to the unpleasant conclusion that he did not like the father as much as the daughter.

'Dad, release him!' Alina's voice ordered angrily somewhere behind him.

'As long as he refuses to tell me his name, I won't.'

Alina walked over to them, placing a calming hand on her father's arm. 'His name is Arthur Pendragon, dad,' she said. 'Will you please release him now?'

Her father frowned. 'So, that is truly your name?' he asked, looking as if he could barely believe it. For a second he did not understand why, but then he remembered Alina telling him that his life was the stuff of a famous legend. That would explain why this man looked like he had just seen a ghost.

Arthur nodded fiercely, jumping on the chance. 'It is, I swear.'

The older man let go of him with a frustrated sigh, before turning to his daughter. 'You could have told me all of this ages ago, young lady. You have a lot of explaining to do,' he said, somehow managing to make it sound like a threat.

'I don't think we have time for that right now,' Alina said in a soothing voice. 'Arthur's father is really ill, so every second counts. We really have to go as soon as possible.'

He did not seem at all pleased with this answer. 'How long will you be gone if you leave now?' he wondered.

Arthur liked the man a whole lot better now. He was only worried for his little girl, the way his own father had worried about Morgana. That was what made him so short-tempered. For some reason Arthur believed this to be a good thing. Alina deserved a father who loved her and wanted the best for her.

Alina bit her lip. 'I don't know,' she confessed in a small voice. 'All I know is that when I will return, it will be for a visit, and not to stay. My home is there.'

Arthur felt like rejoicing at those words, but he could see the other man's face fall in disappointment when he realised he was about to lose his beloved daughter to some place and some people he didn't even know. Alina's face had a sad expression on it as well. He had not thought of this before, but it must be hard for her to leave her family again, no matter how happy she was to be able to return to Camelot. But at least she did not have to give them up entirely.

'I'll visit often,' she promised. 'It's only an hour's ride from here to Camelot.'

He shook his head in disbelief. 'You truly have ended up in legend, have you not, my girl?'

She smiled her sad smile. 'Indeed I have. I promise to explain everything when I come to visit. But we really have no time to lose right now. Cathy should be done saddling my horse by now, so…'

Her father caught her in a bearlike hug. Arthur could swear that he saw a tear escape, but he pretended not to notice. 'You be careful, my girl.'

'Of course,' she said when he let her go, and then forced her face back into a smile. 'When have I ever not?'

Her father now turned to Arthur. 'If you harm her or let her be harmed, know that there is no place on earth where you can hide from me. I'll find you and kill you,' he promised.

Arthur looked him right in the eyes. 'I would expect no less.'

As they saw eye to eye Arthur knew that this was something they agreed on and in that moment they each started to like the other better than they had before, because they both cared about the same person.

'Ugh!' Alina said, disgusted. 'It's not like I can't look after myself, you know.'

Arthur smiled a teasing smile. 'Last time I checked you needed my help to get out of the dungeons,' he reminded her.

'Last time _I_ checked _you_ needed me to come and sort out the mess you created,' she retorted.

'You have lost none of your wits, have you?' he grinned.

'It takes more than two years of exile to take away my wits.' She looked over her shoulder. 'Ah, there's Cathy.'

Arthur followed her gaze and saw a young woman, probably several years Alina's junior, leading her horse by the reins. She had exactly the same blue eyes and blond hair as Alina, so he guessed she was her sister.

Alina walked over to the girl and for the first time Arthur noticed the clothes in which his fiancée was dressed. He gasped in shock. The sorceress wore tight blue trousers, knee-high black boots and a shirt with sleeves that were considered too short to be appropriate. A green jacket was hanging over her arm. What on earth was she thinking?!

'Arthur, you're staring,' she told him as she walked back to him.

'You… you… your clothes!' he stuttered.

She glanced at her attire. 'That's normal here,' she said. 'And I'm _not_ going to run around Camelot in my party dress, if you don't mind.'

He minded very much. 'The people…'

She sighed. 'They either trust me or believe I'm an evil enchantress. In the first case they will probably still trust me, no matter what I wear. They will likely even expect me to be a little strange, so they'll take it for granted anyway. And if people think I am evil, I doubt my choice of clothes will succeed in persuading them otherwise,' she explained.

She had a point there, so Arthur could say very little to argue with that. Besides, once she got something in her head, it was almost impossible to get it out again. He would just have to endure it.

'You're funny,' the sister (Cathy?) remarked.

'In what way, my lady?' he asked politely.

That somehow made her giggle. 'You're so old-fashioned!'

Alina did her best to suppress an amused smile. 'I think it's best if we leave that discussion till later,' she said diplomatically. She looked at Arthur and a genuine happy smile formed on her face. 'After all, we have a kingdom to save.'


	50. Chapter 50

**Wow, that's chapter 50 already. Hope you enjoy it!**

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**Chapter 50**

**Merlin**

_Merlin_.

Merlin groaned. Was there no end to Arthur's list of chores? Could the prat not allow him a moment's rest after all his hard work? He was so tired. All he really wanted to do right now was sleep.

_Merlin!_

It took him a few moments to realise that he was not even in Camelot and another few moments to realise that it was not Arthur's voice that was calling him. Apart from the fact that Arthur did not at all sound like a woman, like this voice did, he strongly doubted the prince's ability to talk to him with his mind. Because the voice called to him from inside his head and he knew of only three people who were capable of doing that. Well, Kilgharrah wasn't the one talking and neither was Mordred. That only left…

_Alina!_ Merlin mentally exclaimed.

_Glad to find you awake_, she retorted.

_You're back!_ he rejoiced, the last remnants of sleep leaving his mind as he heard her familiar voice inside his head.

_Quite the observation_, she remarked dryly. _Where are you, Merlin?_

That was a question that he needed to think about, because, to be quite honest, he had no idea where he was.

The last twenty-four hours had most certainly not the most pleasant in his life. The trouble had started with the king's mysterious illness. Gaius had stated that it was simply Uther's conscience that had finally started to blame him for the thousands of innocent lives he had taken during the Great Purge and after, which would explain why the king saw visions of people he had killed. Arthur believed it to be the start of a disease that had also affected his grandfather, that caused him to lose his mind in the last few years of his life.

Merlin had disagreed with both Gaius and Arthur. The illness, if that was what it was, had struck too suddenly to be blamed on either conscience or a mental illness. It surely wasn't natural, he was certain of that. Over the years the warlock had developed a sixth sense to detect danger and trouble and that sense had told him right from the start that something wasn't right about this.

And, right, it might not have been the best plan to go investigating alone and late at night, but since he had not been able to come up with a better plan than that, he had carried it out all the same.

The king had been asleep when he had entered. Everything in the room seemed to be as it should be. He had no idea whatsoever as to what he was looking for, let alone where he had to begin to start looking for it. He did not even know if there even was something to be found. He just had a feeling to go on and Merlin had to admit that that was not much.

He only just started to realise how impossible this mission was, as he heard footsteps outside the king's bedchamber. He fled under the bed instinctively. It wasn't a great hiding place, but it was the closest to him. And he knew that it would not do to get caught here. He wouldn't know how to explain his presence here at this hour of night. On the other hand, he would have even less of an explanation for the fact that he was under the king's bed at this hour of night, in case that he did get caught.

As he moved farther under the bed he was suddenly met with something that hung under it. He turned to face it and found some very dirty thing, looking like some kind of root, hanging not two centimetres away from him. The root was covered in something that looked an awful lot like mud, but Merlin suspected it to be something a little less harmless than that, because there was no way that a thing like this had any business hanging under Uther's bed.

Before he could even begin to wonder at the meaning of this, a hand reached under the bed, pulling the root loose and taking it away. Whoever did this did not feel the urge to look under the bed, for which Merlin was eternally grateful. The footsteps moved away immediately after this task had been completed.

Merlin crawled to a spot from where he could see the intruder. His heart dropped as he recognized the gorgeous purple dress, the long dark hair and the beautiful face of the Lady Morgana. She looked at Uther one last time before leaving the room and Merlin saw the look of absolute hate on her once so kind face.

There was no way to describe what he felt then. There was hurt, betrayal, anger and the sad feeling that, after all, the dragon had been right. Alina thought that she had changed the legend by telling Morgana about her own magic, but without her there, all her changes would become undone and this one appeared to be no exception. There was no doubt in Merlin's heart. He was convinced that this root had something to do with Uther's illness and Morgana had something to do with this root. This could not possibly mean well, for anyone.

Why it had seemed like a good idea to follow Morgana to wherever she was going, he could no longer tell. He just did it. He had only come to the conclusion that this was the worst idea he had in ages when he had gotten himself caught by Morgana and Morgause, had been tied up magically and had been left at the mercy of countless hungry serkets. It had been really his luck that he had managed to get himself stung by one of those monsters. The only proof that he did have some good fortune at all had been that Kilgharrah had answered his call before he had been eaten.

When he had woken (he could not remember passing out, but he figured that he had) he had found himself lying on a cliff with the dragon's wise eyes watching him closely. His body ached all over, the serket's poison being to blame for that. The dragon had said something about giving him an enchantment to help him heal, but he guessed he had passed out again shortly after that.

Alina's voice had woken him again, but he still had no idea where he was.

_I don't know_, he replied. _I'm on a cliff somewhere._

_Quite the cliff-hanger you are_, she joked. _Am I right in saying that the dragon is there with you?_

_How do you…?_ he started, before realising that this must be part of the legend. _Oh, great_.

_You should come back to Camelot as soon as you possibly can_, Alina told him.

_That might be difficult. I still have no clue as to where I am_, he pointed out.

_The dragon will know_, she said. _And he can take you back home. We really need you back, Merlin._

_Wait, _we_? _He only just started to fully understand what it meant that she was actually talking to him. It felt so natural, even after all this time, that he had not thought of it earlier. But now he really understood that she was back and she did not sound like she planned on leaving anytime soon.

_Arthur's worried sick about you_, she replied. _Not that he'd admit it, of course. Anyway, you're needed here._

_Where are you?_ Merlin wondered.

_On my way back to Camelot_, she said. Merlin could almost see her grin widely at her finally going home again.

_Wait, I thought this way of talking wasn't possible over long distances? _

She shrugged. _Maybe it just doesn't work over time barriers. It seems to work just fine right now._

His sleepy brain was now clear enough to remember that there were some warnings he needed to pass on. _Alina, Morgana is behind all this, _he thought at her, almost panicking._ She placed a mandrake root in Uther's room, making him see hallucinations. And Morgause is in on this as well and I am so, so sorry that I couldn't stop this from happening and…_

_Merlin, I know_, she interrupted. _This is all a part of legend._

_Is it? _

_Most definitely_, she said in a decisive voice. _I'll destroy the root as soon as I can get my hands on it, I promise. We'll talk later. You just make sure that you get back to us as soon as you possibly can, right?_

_As soon as possible_, he promised.

She gave a mental nod and was gone.

Merlin opened his eyes, focussing on his surroundings and his own body rather than his memories and the mental conversation. He still felt sore where the serket had stung him, but it was bearable, even ignorable by now. The dragon's enchantment must have helped a great deal. His back hurt as well, but the warlock guessed the stone floor was to blame for that.

The dragon was still staring at him, just like he had done before Merlin had fallen asleep.

Merlin got to his feet. 'You shouldn't have let me sleep,' he said accusingly. He had been wasting time enough as it was, spending it on sleep of all things to do instead of using it to break the enchantment on Uther. This knowledge did not do much to improve his mood.

'I had no choice, young warlock,' Kilgharrah said. 'The venom was too strong, even for your great powers.'

'I don't have time,' Merlin said angrily. 'The kingdom is in danger…' He hesitated for a moment, but then decided that he might as well tell what was going on. 'It's my fault,' he confessed. 'Morgana is back, but she is plotting against Camelot. And if I had not poisoned her, she would never have done that!'

'You did what you felt was right, and that shows great courage,' the dragon said. Was he actually trying to cheer him up? 'But now you must face the consequences of that choice.'

Why on earth did he think the dragon would try to make him feel better? He had never tried that before and he was not trying now. 'Alina says she's going to fix it all,' Merlin said defensively. 'She's back,' he added when he realised that was a fact Kilgharrah was not yet aware of.

He smiled one of his rare smiles. 'The young sorceress returns,' he stated solemnly. 'And so the hope for Albion returns.'

That was something Merlin had figured out on his own and he had no time to listen to more riddles. He was in a hurry. 'I need to get back to Camelot,' he said.

It was a strange and rare sight to see a dragon frown, but Merlin saw him doing it. 'You are not yet fully recovered, Merlin, and it's more than three days walk!' he said disapprovingly.

He had just not realised one thing and Merlin's face split into one of his huge grins. 'I have no intention of walking.' _Alina, I'm coming_.

**Arthur**

Arthur watched Alina closely as she talked to Merlin with her mind. Once you knew how to watch, it was very easy to see when she was talking like that. There was a distant look in her eyes and a concentrated expression on her face as all her thoughts focused on contacting his servant. He supposed she had succeeded in doing that, for she had been looking that way for five minutes at least.

He had only just started to wonder how long it would take when she shivered and blinked a few times, the signal that the conversation was over.

He gave her a few seconds to recover before he began to talk to her. 'Well, did you find my worthless servant?' he asked in a light voice, trying to hide his genuine worry for the warlock in disguise.

He should have known better than to try and fool Alina. She smiled a reassuring smile that told him that she knew exactly how he was feeling and that there was no reason for his worry. 'He's alive and out of danger,' she answered.

He frowned. 'So, he was _in_ danger?'

'Apparently he has gotten himself stung by a serket after being captured by Morgause,' she reported. 'But he's on the mend now.'

Arthur did hardly know which part of this speech shocked him most. Merlin really did know how to get himself into the worst trouble imaginable, didn't he? 'Morgause is behind this?' he exclaimed.

She smiled bitterly. 'Are we really surprised?'

If he was honest with himself, he had to admit that he wasn't. The sorceress had already proven herself to be a mortal enemy of Camelot. She had kept quiet the last year, but he had always expected her to try again.

'Well, at least we can fight fire with fire now,' he said, comforted by that thought. 'Fight magic with magic, fight an evil sorceress by a good one.'

A worried look appeared in her eyes. 'I'm not sure everyone will see it that way,' she said in a soft voice.

'They won't dare to harm you, my lady,' he told her. 'You are under my protection.'

'I know,' she said. 'I seriously doubt you would have kissed me like that if that had not been the case.'

Their relationship had not changed, Arthur reflected, not one bit. It was as if those two years of separation did not exist at all, not for them. They just picked up where they had left off. Arthur found that he liked that very much.

Camelot appeared before them, but they did not stop to admire its beauty. Arthur caught Alina staring at the castle and a serene smile settled on her face. She straightened her back, raised her head and galloped into the city, her golden hair dancing on her back. Arthur could see how much more confident she was as she entered her one true home.

'Glad to be back?' he asked.

'It's home,' she simply replied.

'And you're not leaving it again,' he swore. 'Not if I have a say in it. Which I have,' he added as he saw her face darken.

People stared at them as they made their way through the streets of the city, but none of these people actually seemed to dislike Alina, even though they recognized her. Arthur remembered how many friends she had made among the town's people during that one year that she had spent in Camelot. And her friends had not forgotten her. They nodded respectfully, not only at Arthur, but also at his fiancée.

Knowing that this might not be the case in the castle, Arthur kept his sword close. And indeed, some guards who had seen her use her magic, shot her very wary looks. And there were more, servants and knights alike, who did not take well to her presence. Arthur saw them back away, looking around them as if searching for an escape route. He felt ashamed at this behaviour and hoped it would escape Alina's notice.

Of course it didn't. 'They look as if I might turn on them any second,' she said in a sad voice. 'Did they not know me at all?'

'They still see magic the way they have always seen it,' Arthur told her, wanting very badly to comfort her, but he could not think of a thing that was both comforting and the truth at the same time. And he knew she'd notice if he would try to lie to her. It must be their connection that made her feel it. 'They see it as an evil in and out of itself.' He touched her hand. 'In time they will come to see you for who you really are, I'm certain of it.'

'Let's hope so,' she simply said.

They dismounted.

'What do we do now?' Arthur wondered. His plan had never extended beyond going to Alina's time and bring her home. He had expected that she would take over control when he had done his job.

She did not disappoint. 'We break the enchantment on your father,' she announced, handing over her horse to one on the stable boys, who looked at her like she had some kind of dangerous disease. The princess pretended not to notice, but Arthur could tell by the pained look in her eyes that she had.

What stung was that he had looked at her like this himself. It may have been for a few short hours, but even he, who loved her with all his heart, had instantly believed the worst about her when he saw her using magic. Arthur did not like what that said about him.

Alina sighed. 'They judge me on something I'm not even good at,' she remarked.

He did not understand that. 'What do you mean?'

'What I did with that statue, usually I'm worse than rubbish at moving objects with magic. It could very easily have failed,' she explained. 'No, moving objects like that is Merlin's speciality.'

'I would never have guessed,' he replied seriously.

'No, because that was one of the only times that it actually went well,' she retorted. 'Healing's more my thing. Luckily for us, that's what we need right now.'

They were on their way to his father's room at this point in conversation, walking quickly through the corridors. Alina walked as if she had every right to be there, which she had, but not everyone in the castle agreed on that, so Arthur held his hand on the hilt of his sword. It was not much, but anyone with a brain could see from that simple act that picking on Alina would have grave consequences.

They were almost halfway there when they almost literally bumped into sir Leon. The knight almost lost his balance and Alina offered him her hand to help him steady herself. Leon took it before he saw who was offering it.

All kinds of emotions flashed over his face when he looked up to see who it was that he had almost tripped over. Arthur's hand grabbed the sword tighter in anticipation of Leon's reaction.

There was no need for that. As soon as Leon recognized the woman before him, he made a low bow and took her hand to his lips, kissing it as a mark of respect.

'My lady!' he said in a surprised voice.

'Sir Leon,' she greeted and Arthur could hear how relieved she was that her friend did not seem to care that she was back, that he, in fact, seemed quite happy about it. 'It's good to see you.'

'It's good to have you back, my lady,' the knight said. 'I take it you're the solution to the king's illness?'

She smiled as she glanced at Arthur. 'I take it Arthur said that.'

'He did, my lady.'

'How many times must I ask you to call me Alina, Leon?' she sighed. 'Anyway, could you do me a favour?'

'Anything,' Leon promised immediately. Arthur was impressed by the knight's loyalty to her, but then, they always had been close friends when she had still lived here.

'Please round up some of your fellow knights and meet us at the king's chamber as soon as possible,' she ordered.

He bowed again. 'Of course, my lady. I shall see to it right away.'

'Oh, Leon?' she said. He stopped and looked back at her. 'Swords will not be needed,' she told him. 'What we need is men who know how to search and how to find.'

Leon nodded and departed. Arthur walked on with her, grabbing her hand in the process. He finally had her back and he was never ever going to let her go again.


	51. Chapter 51

**Hello everyone, here's chapter 51 already. Please read and review and have a wonderful day.**

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**Chapter 51**

**Alina**

The closer they got to the king's bedchamber, the more nervous Alina grew. She told herself that there was no need for that. This wasn't even difficult. She knew what had to be done: go inside, remove the mandrake root and throw it into the fire. She knew this episode by heart, so that was not the problem here. And there was no real need to use magic either, so that was no reason to worry either.

So then why did her heart beat faster in fear? Deep down inside she knew the answer to that question. She was afraid of Uther. Even now he was in no condition to order her immediate execution, she was afraid of him. Ridiculous.

Arthur leaned against the door of his father's room while they waited for the knights to arrive. Alina did not have the patience for this. She paced restlessly about the corridor, unable to control her nerves. There were guards in front of the door, but they pretended to be invisible (Alina had seen them exchange some very worried glances when they caught sight of her) so she treated them as such.

'Stand still, Alina!' Arthur exclaimed when he had watched her pacing for five minutes on end. 'You're making me edgy. What are you so worried about?'

'Have you seen the way people look at me?' she replied. 'How am I ever going to fit in again when people don't dare to meet my eyes and start to look frantically for an escape route the moment they see me approaching?' She desperately threw her hands in the air. 'They look at me like I'm going to blow them to pieces whenever I get the chance!'

The guards at the door at least had the decency to look guilty.

'They don't know you as well as I do,' Arthur replied calmly. How strange, it used to be her who calmed a restless and frustrated Arthur. It would seem that their roles had been reversed. 'And they don't know about all the wonderful things that you have done for Camelot.'

She snorted. 'If it was Merlin who told you about those so-called wonderful things, I can tell you they are shamelessly exaggerated.'

'So, it isn't true that you have healed me from all kinds of injuries?' the prince inquired in a nonchalant voice.

'That one is true,' she admitted.

'And isn't it also true that you helped to expose and defeat the Witchfinder?' he went on.

She got a little irritated by then. Surely he had not forgotten her role in that unfortunate affair? 'You know that I did,' she snapped. 'You were there, after all.'

'Merlin also says you were involved in exposing the troll…'

'Yes, but…'

Arthur continued before she could finish. '… killing the questing beast…'

'Yes, but…,' she tried again.

'… defeating Nimueh…'

'Yes, but…'

'… not to mention those countless bandits you managed to take down by dropping stuff on their heads, causing them to fall on their own weapons or making them trip over their own feet,' he finished.

She decided that shouting at him would probably reflect badly on her (there still was a pair of very confused guards watching them), so instead she opted to shout at him with her thoughts. _What are you doing, Arthur Pendragon?_ she demanded.

The prince gave her a startled look when he heard her words inside his head, but he quickly recognized this way of conversing and then he grinned widely at her. _I have just made sure that public opinion on you will soon change_, he told her, obviously very pleased with himself, being Arthur the Prat just as she remembered him.

She frowned. _I'm sorry, what?_

He made a wanna-be subtle nudge with his head at the guards. _These two talk like old wives_, he explained. _Sooner rather than later everyone in the castle will know about this little conversation._

She looked at him, disbelieving. 'You're intolerable!' she snapped.

Before she could tell him what else she thought of him, sir Leon came into sight, accompanied by sirs Owen, William (another than the one in the tournament) and Allan (the captain of the guards who had been promoted to knight in her absence). Alina nodded in approval. These were exactly the knights she would have picked as well. These were the knights she had been closest to, the ones that were most likely to believe and trust her. Leon had done a good job.

'My lord, my lady,' he greeted them with a slight bow.

'Sir Leon,' she smiled friendly. 'Owen, William, Allan.'

Each of the knights nodded respectfully as she addressed them, even though they appeared to be a little nervous. She could not help but feel disappointed. If even these men were afraid of her, what hope did she have of ever winning back the faith of people who had not known her so well?

'What is it that you need us to do, my lady?' Allan asked, being the bravest of the three, but that was no surprise.

She returned her attention to the matter at hand. First things first, she commanded herself. Everything else could wait until this crisis had been dealt with. 'The king is under the influence of an enchantment that causes him to see hallucinations of the things that he fears most,' she explained. 'This enchantment is bound to a magical vessel. If we destroy that, we break the spell. Well, in order for that spell to be effective, the vessel will have to be kept close to the king, which means that it has to be somewhere in his room.'

Leon nodded. 'I see,' he said. 'What does it look like? How will we recognize it when we come across it?'

'Good point,' she said. 'I believe that the mandrake root is the source of the enchantment. It will look like any plant's root and is most likely covered in a magical potion that looks like dirt.' She described to them what she knew from the show.

Alina knew that the root was probably kept under Uther's bed, but if it wasn't, she did not have the time to search the entire chamber by herself. After all, it wouldn't be the first time that legend decided to play tricks on her. She had more than enough experience with that.

'Your knowledge is very detailed, my lady,' sir Owen remarked. Was there a hint of suspicion in his voice?

'Sir Owen, I am from the future,' she said angrily. 'And what happens here today is a very famous legend in my time. Therefore I know a lot of things that you don't.'

That shut him up nicely. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but no words came out.

'More questions?' she asked.

There were none, so they proceeded into the room… and skidded to a stop the moment that they did. The king's bedchamber was an unbelievable mess. Alina remembered that from the show, but it was not meant to happen until the following morning. _Oh, yes, legend is definitely playing tricks_, she thought furiously.

Candleholders, chairs and tables had been knocked over, the bed was a mess and the fire in the hearth had gone out. It was cold and dark in the room, but there was enough light to make out Uther's still form, curled up in a small corner near a window, his arms folded around his knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

All her fear for this man faded away in an instant. It did not matter anymore that he had ordered her execution or that he hated every one of her kind. The way he was now he deserved only to be pitied.

The men stared at the king and the mess, not looking like they were about to move anytime soon, so Alina took it upon herself to take matters in her own hands.

'Allan, William and Owen, search the room,' she ordered, hoping she sounded more determined than she felt. 'Sir Leon, if you would please make the bed?'

'But…,' the knight started to protest.

'Now, Leon,' she said. 'Arthur, with me.'

None of them had the guts to argue, so they all started to do as she had commanded them to do. Alina took Arthur with her to the spot where the king was sitting.

She kneeled down at his side. 'Sire?' she said in a soft voice. 'You need to get back to bed, my lord. It's too cold for you here.'

Uther gave no sign that he had actually heard or even seen her. His gaze was locked on a point somewhere behind them, seeing something none of them could see, his entire body trembling in fear, tears dripping down his face.

Arthur bended down as well, a worried expression on his face. 'He's not responding,' he whispered.

'Help me to get him up,' Alina said, not reacting to that remark, as that was something she could see herself. Besides, she did not want Arthur to know how much this frightened her. She just had to believe that everything would turn out all right. 'I can't do it on my own.'

'Of course.'

They had only just helping the king up when sir Leon called her. 'My lady, I think I've found it.'

She turned to see the kind knight kneeled down beside the bed, holding up the blankets to reveal the culprit for the king's condition. _No tricks on this part_, she thought relieved.

'Sir Owen, look after the king,' she ordered as she walked over to Leon to get a closer look, with Arthur following closely behind.

She leaned over to see the mandrake root for herself. It was exactly like the show had led her to believe. Even though she knew how often the show was right about something, it was still a miracle how that was even possible. It amazed her every single time.

The root hung under Uther's bed, merrily dripping away. She found it revolting at first sight. There was a sense of evil hanging around the root, or maybe that was just because she knew what this thing was meant to do.

'This is it?' Arthur asked.

'It is,' she confirmed in an icy voice.

'Shall I make a fire?' Leon asked.

She could feel the eyes of the knights on her as they waited for her reply. They appeared to be waiting for something and she thought she knew what that was.

She did not allow herself any more time to think, she just acted. 'That will not be necessary,' she said, grabbing the root and pulling it loose. Then, with all the knights watching her closely, she held out her right hand. '_Forbærnan,_' she said in a loud and clear voice.

All men, except for Arthur, gasped when the flames suddenly leapt up high, apparently out of nothing. Even though they knew what she was and what she was capable of, they were still surprised to actually see her perform the magic right in front of them. _Ridiculous_, she thought again.

Ignoring the shocked whispers at seeing magic practised so openly in Camelot, she threw the mandrake root with as much force as she could muster into the fire. The root screamed, a high-pitched noise that made her want to get out of here as fast as she possibly could. She covered her ears with her hands, but there was no blocking it out. She had to endure it for the entirety of the time that it took for that thing to die, which felt like ages.

When it was finally over she opened her eyes. She could not remember closing them and neither could she remember how he had ended up sitting on the ground. This bothered her. But apparently it had happened and now she found herself surrounded by some very worried looking knights and prince.

'Alina, are you all right?' Arthur demanded.

She smiled reassuringly. 'I'm fine,' she told all of them.

Their disapproving looks told her that they did not buy that.

'I'm fine,' she repeated in a firm voice, getting to her feet again, with some help of sir Leon.

'You looked like you were suffering, my lady,' he said.

'My ears were,' she replied. 'That stupid mandrake root screamed rather loudly.'

The knights and Arthur exchanged more worried glances as she said that. Clearly they thought there was something very wrong with her.

'There was no screaming, my lady,' sir Allan said eventually.

Of course, how could she have forgotten? They could not have heard it. Still, she hesitated a moment before she explained. They already knew about her magic. After all, they had seen it for themselves. But she felt a little hesitant to mention it like this, almost like it was normal, which it most certainly wasn't.

_Get it a grip!_ she told herself, before explaining. 'Only people with magic can hear a mandrake's cries,' she clarified. 'That is the reason why only I could hear it.'

'And it's gone now?' Arthur asked, looking at her like she was a sick person that needed to be cared for. He did not seem to believe she was all right. Honestly, it hadn't looked that bad, had it?

She looked at the remnants of the magical root that were still burning in the hearth. A feeling of pride and relief washed over her as she realised she had really done it. 'Yes, it's gone,' she confirmed.

**Merlin**

Dawn was almost breaking as the dragon finally prepared to land. Merlin had been growing ever more anxious as more time passed and they still couldn't see the familiar castle. Somehow he had underestimated the time it would take to get back to Camelot. The dragon had warned him that it was a three day's journey when one travelled on foot, but he had managed to talk himself into believing that it would take up hardly any time at all on dragon's back.

Kilgharrah landed on a clearing near the city and Merlin slid back onto the ground.

'This is as far as I go,' Kilgharrah told him.

Merlin could understand that. It would not do for him to be seen any closer to the city. 'Thank you,' he replied. 'I won't forget this.' _I might talk to Alina and try to talk her out of her plan to make the dragon pay for acting out his revenge_, he pondered. Arthur had told him about the vow she had made just before leaving the dragon's den. Kilgharrah had ignored her words and taken his vengeance all the same. Merlin guessed the young sorceress would not be very pleased when she learned this.

'Be careful, young warlock,' the dragon warned him. 'The great battle for Camelot has begun. You must stay strong, for Arthur's destiny and the future of Albion lie in your hands.'

Merlin frowned in suspicion. There was one name he missed in that speech. 'How about Alina?' he wondered.

'The young sorceress will make her own future,' Kilgharrah said. 'She has the power to shift destiny towards a better or worse future for us all.' Of course, another riddle. Why could he never give a straight answer? It wasn't that hard, surely?

_No pressure at all, eh?_ Alina's voice remarked sarcastically in his head.

Merlin was startled a little by hearing her voice so suddenly. It had, after all, been two years since they had frequently talked like that and it took some getting used to now that they were doing it again. And besides, he had not noticed that she had been listening in. _Alina?_

She did not even bother to answer that question. _You can tell him I'll come to kick his enormous backside sometime very soon. After all, he didn't listen to me._ He could tell by the tone in her mental voice that she meant every word of that speech.

'Ehm, Alina's telling me that she is still angry with you,' Merlin said. 'And she plans on telling you herself very soon.'

_Don't alter my words, Merlin! _she snapped.

_For my own safety_, he explained. _I have no ambition whatsoever to get myself roasted._

She snorted. _Very well. I'll tell him myself soon enough. And you may want to hurry up a little bit._

_Why?_ he asked warily.

_Arthur's bound to wake up soon and you don't want to see the state of his room right now_, she told him.

Merlin could picture that well enough without her having to do it for him. _Uh-oh_. He said goodbye to the dragon and broke into a run before talking to his friend again. _So, you're back in Camelot?_

_I am_, she confirmed. _And I've destroyed the mandrake, so that's all right, too. Gaius says Uther will make a full recovery._

Merlin gave a mental nod, before addressing a more important problem. _What are we going to do about Morgana?_

She sighed. _To tell you the truth, I don't know. We can't expose her, at least not yet. Uther dotes on her every word. He would not believe us._

_He would have us burned at the stake if we dared to speak that accusations aloud_, Merlin agreed.

_That's another way of saying it_, she remarked dryly.

_So, what can we do?_ Merlin pressed. _Is there anything you could do?_

_Apart from talking to her? Very little. But I'll try nonetheless, I promise. But let us deal with this crisis first, shall we? After all, you've got an angry Arthur to appease._

_Thanks so much for reminding me,_ he thought back at her sarcastically. _But why is he angry? I thought you said he was worried for me?_

_He was, but he knows now that you're safe, which leaves all the more room for him to be angry with you for not staying with him and not taking him with you_, she explained.

He frowned. _That's why he's angry?_

_Why else would he be?_

Merlin thought about that one for a while. If he was Arthur he would be mad at his servant's absence because he would have no clothes to wear, no clean boots and unpolished armour. He would be furious because there would be no one to serve him breakfast and muck out his horses. If he were Arthur, the two reasons Alina had mentioned would be the last ones to enter his mind.

He was still pondering this as he walked into Arthur's bedchamber, walking straight over to the windows to let the first rays of sunshine in. 'Rise and shine!' he said cheerfully.

'Hmpf,' Arthur muffled from under his pillow, same as every morning.

Merlin was about to tell the prince that he really needed to get out of bed when he was side-tracked by the mess in the room, which he had not been able to see when it was still dark, but which he could see all the more clearly now. He remembered thinking that Alina had been exaggerating when she had told him about the state of the room. Now he had to come to the conclusion that it was more of an understatement than an exaggeration.

'What _happened_?' he exclaimed.

At least that got him Arthur's attention. 'What happened?' he repeated, his tone implying that he was very short-tempered. 'I had to make do without a servant. That's what happened!'

Merlin did not buy that. It looked like Arthur had just dropped whatever he had in his hands at the time when and wherever it pleased him and had thrown the rest of the stuff across the room to complete the chaos. 'I wasn't gone for that long!' he protested.

'Without my permission,' Arthur pointed out sharply.

This was so unfair! Merlin had faced Morgause and Morgana as well as a whole bunch of poisonous serkets for Arthur's sake and this was his reward? 'What if I was dying?' he demanded.

Arthur was sitting by now. 'I wouldn't be complaining! But you're not, so where have you been?' he ordered.

'But I was dying!' Merlin said.

Arthur's non-existent patience had run out. He started shouting. 'I don't have time for this. The future of the kingdom rests upon my shoulders! Do you have _any_ idea what that feels like?'

As it happened Merlin probably knew that better than Arthur himself, so he felt rather offended. 'Well…,' he started.

That only infuriated the prince even more. 'I should have you thrown in the dungeons!' he yelled. 'So what have you got to say for yourself?'

Telling him the truth would most likely gain him a one-way ticket to the dungeons, certainly with the mood Arthur was in now. So instead he opted for a lighter tone, trying to make a joke out of it. 'You've not had your breakfast this morning, have you?'

It didn't work. On the contrary, Arthur only got angrier, reaching for a goblet. The servant knew his master long enough to know what was coming next.

'I'll have you for breakfast!' he shouted, swinging the goblet at Merlin's head at full force.

Merlin had years of practise in dodging objects that were sent flying at his head, so he got out of the goblet's way easily enough. This action did, however, trigger his own anger. 'Oh, no wonder this place is such a mess!' he exclaimed.

The answer to this was another object thrown in his direction, missing him only just. The young warlock could not identify the item before it shattered against the wall.

'Oh yes, I can see you've got all the makings of a great king!' he remarked sarcastically, before fleeing the room as quickly as he could.

'Merlin!' Arthur yelled. The sound of his shouting was accompanied by the sound of another breakable object breaking to pieces against a wall. Merlin thought about how it would be his job to clean up all that mess and he suddenly disliked Arthur a whole lot more than he already did. Great destiny or not, Camelot's prince could still be as much of a prat as ever.

But Arthur last shouted sentence stopped him dead in his tracks right before he was out of earshot. 'If you dare run off without me again, Merlin, I _will_ have you thrown in the stocks for a month!' the prince warned him loudly.

He still sounded like the prat he was, but Merlin had heard _what_ he said. A small smile formed on his face as he realised that Alina had been right. It gave him hope for the future and he went about his chores feeling a whole lot better.


	52. Chapter 52

**Hello everyone, quite a long chapter today, so I hope you'll enjoy it. Please read and review!**

* * *

**Chapter 52**

**Arthur**

It was still not the best time of his life, Arthur pondered, but it wasn't the worst anymore either. At least he no longer had the feeling that everything was spinning wildly out of control and he knew who was responsible for that. He had brought Alina back and she had done precisely what he had hoped she'd do. She had immediately taken it upon herself to fix this situation as soon as possible, not even caring if everyone knew about her magic. She now used it openly to help them. Arthur could not be more grateful.

Her return had an awful lot of rumours buzzing around the palace and the lower town, or so Gwen had told him. But, much to his satisfaction, his little chat with Alina in front of two very talkative guards had paid off. People now spoke about the princess as a heroine who was the only sorceress in history to use her magic for good. Arthur knew that they must be wrong on that point, since he himself knew of another good sorcerer, but he allowed the rumours to spread.

So, of course his father was still not fully recovered and Cenred was still amassing an army. That had not changed at all. What had changed was his attitude towards the problems that he was facing. He no longer felt helpless. Now he felt like he could handle them. He could even smile as he saw Merlin clean up all the mess he had made.

The servant pretended to be very angry with him for that, but he didn't fool Arthur. The younger man smiled happily whenever he thought the prince wasn't watching. He was as happy about having Alina back with them as Arthur himself had been, making him practically incapable of being mad at someone, even if that someone had given him loads and loads of work by making his room look like a hurricane went through it.

After breakfast Arthur decided he would check on his father first, then visit Alina and after that head for the council chamber for a meeting with the council members. He still had to explain the princess' presence officially and declare that she was not to be harmed. He knew that at least two or three nobles would protest very loudly against her being in Camelot and Arthur was not looking forward to explaining everything to them. So, instead of facing the worst first, he deliberately saved it for last, creating as much delay as he possibly could.

He greeted the guards at his father's door. 'Good morning,' he said. 'Is my father still asleep?'

'My lord,' they bowed before answering his question. 'He is, my lord. The Lady Alina is still in there as well.' The speaking guard sounded a little suspicious. It was obvious that he did not trust the sorceress at all, which irritated Arthur.

'The Lady Alina is in Camelot at my personal request,' he said sternly. 'I sincerely hope you don't think that it is your place to question my judgment?'

He looked at his shoes in shame. 'Of course not, my lord.'

'Good,' Arthur said, entering the room.

He sighed in frustration. It was bound to be very difficult to get people to accept Alina. Somehow he had believed that the people would welcome her back with open arms when they realised everything she had done for the kingdom. It was starting to dawn on him now that things weren't as simple as that.

His father was still asleep, his breath calm and even. For the first time in these last few days his face was relaxed and peaceful. He smiled a little. It was Alina that had done that. Arthur still thought it was a miracle she would rather heal Uther than make him pay for what he had done to her. Arthur was just glad for it.

He discovered the sorceress in the chair next to the bed, still dressed in those strange clothes from her own time. She had assured them they were women's clothes, but he had a hard time believing that. Were women actually allowed to go around, dressed like that? If that was the case, he was glad he lived in Camelot and not in her time.

Alina was asleep, just like his father. She held Uther's hand in her own, for support, he supposed. He guessed she had wanted to keep watch, but sleep must have overcome her at some point.

As much as Arthur wanted to let her get some well-deserved rest, they still had a council meeting to attend and he had just decided that he would not be going without her. She was back now, never to leave again, and he wanted her to be a part of his life again, every aspect of his life. Besides, the people needed to get used to their future queen. He smiled at the thought of that. She might not believe that that was where her life was headed, but he certainly did.

He walked over to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. 'Alina?'

She was startled by his touch, her eyes fluttering open and looking around her. When she saw it was only him, she sighed in relief. 'Arthur,' she acknowledged. 'You scared the crap out of me!'

He smiled apologetically. 'I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention. Did you sleep well?' He understood why she would be a little jumpy in here. He should have thought of that.

She nodded. 'I slept well, thank you, albeit a little short perhaps,' she replied. 'What time is it?'

'Almost ten in the morning, I think. How's my father?'

'Much better,' Alina said, looking a little pleased with herself. 'I gave him an enchantment to help him sleep. Under the given circumstances I did not think you would mind.' She looked at him for approval.

He grinned at her. 'You're the healer here,' he teased her. 'You're supposed to know what's best for your patients.'

She shrugged. 'Well, after all I did use magic. I wasn't sure you'd approve. But I am glad that you do, because he needs his rest,' she replied solemnly. 'He's been through hell these last few days. It will take time for him to recover, perhaps more time than we can afford.'

He thought about that for a moment, then remembering that she had knowledge of what was still going to happen. 'You mean to say that we're still in trouble? Is this another big event?'

'Yes, to the first and no to the second. It's not another big event. It's still the same. Your father's illness and Cenred's army, that is no mere coincidence. This was all too carefully planned out by Morgause,' she clarified. 'Cenred will march on Camelot within the next couple of days and we simply do not have the time to wait until your father is ready to take charge of things again.' She looked him straight in the eyes. 'You will have to be the one to get Camelot through this crisis.'

He had shouted at Merlin because the fate of the kingdom rested on his shoulders, but it wasn't until now that really understood the meaning of those words. And he also knew he couldn't do it. He wasn't ready yet. She expected too much of him.

'I can't,' he whispered.

'You can,' she disagreed. 'It is your destiny, Arthur. And it's part of legend where I come from. We will get through this, I know that.'

Arthur liked the use of the plural form. It gave him the feeling that maybe, just maybe he could handle all of this, as long as she was by his side. 'You will help me?'

She grinned at him. 'What did you think?'

Her smile was contagious. Before he knew what happened he was smiling himself. He offered her his hand and helped her up. 'If that is the case, we have a council meeting to attend.'

**Alina**

Alina tried her hardest to remain calm for Arthur's sake, but beneath the surface the nerves were practically killing her. It would be her first time to enter these chambers, the first time to face these people since she had been dragged off to the dungeons for using magic. She knew that several members of the council hated magic even more than Uther himself. She also knew that these particular council members would not be pleased to see her, at all.

If it had been up to her, she would have hidden herself in some dark corner to wait until the storm had passed and everything had gone back to normal. But that was not what Arthur and the kingdom needed her to do right now. She was here for a purpose and that purpose was to save legend. Well, rather she would have to save it first in order to change it. She somehow doubted that she would succeed in making Morgana see sense before all hell broke loose. That was something that would have to wait until after the battle, she decided.

After the battle she would seriously work at changing legend, she promised. She had meant what she had told Arthur. Legend could go to hell. Legend had been in her way for far too long. Finally she had decided to live her life the way she wanted it. Since that meant that she had to change legend, that was what she was going to do. It also meant that the time for hiding was over. No more cowering away in her own time, she vowed.

But, for now, legend needed saving first. But if she wanted to do that, there were some very annoying and probably very angry nobles that needed to be talked into trusting her. That realisation made all the nerves return in tenfold.

So now she found herself walking next to Arthur, trying her hardest not to show her fear, but instead showing an expression of calm determination. Luckily she had always been rather good at hiding her true feelings. No one would notice how nervous she truly was, except for those who really knew her well, like Arthur and Merlin.

When they entered the council chambers, Alina could hear the barely hushed whispers. She could almost feel the hostility radiating off some of the men. It made her want to run and hide. What had she been thinking? Had she honestly believed she would achieve anything in here? This was a mistake and she needed to get out of this place as soon as possible.

Arthur sensed she was trying to get away, so he shook his head, almost invisibly, and held her hand a bit tighter. There was no escaping this without using magic and that was something she was not going to do with all these people watching. There was no choice but to let Arthur have his way. And so she walked with him to the head of the table, keeping her head down and avoiding to meet anyone's eyes.

_Hating this, aren't you?_ Merlin's mental voice asked.

She peeked up to see her friend standing next to sir Leon, who smiled encouragingly at her. The young warlock looked both relieved and extremely happy with her return. Although he tried to keep his expression solemn, a huge, sweet smile nearly split his face as she met his eyes.

_A lot_, she told him.

_You still have friends here_, he reminded her.

She grimaced_. Just a shame there happen to be so few of them._

He shook his head. _There are more of them than you realise, Alina. They just don't happen to be in this room, is all._

_Right_, she thought back sarcastically.

Arthur took his place at the head of the table, not letting go of her hand, which made her feel more than just a little uncomfortable. All eyes were on their holding hands and most of those eyes did not look approving.

'Good morning, my lords,' Arthur said politely.

His greeting was echoed by all those present, but Alina could tell there were too many worries on their mind to make it sound really enthusiastic. Worries about her presence it were, she could tell. Well, no surprise there.

'What's she doing here?' Lord Harold demanded. He had always been one of the biggest magic-haters around here and he had never even liked her before she was exposed. It did not come as a surprise that it was him who questioned her presence first. That did not make it any easier, though.

Arthur's eyes lit up in anger. 'The Lady Alina is here at my personal request,' he replied in a cool voice. 'Only yesterday she rid us of the source of my father's illness. You will all be pleased to hear that he will make a full recovery, although it will take some time before he will be able to resume his duties.'

Lord Richard stepped forward. 'What was it that ailed our king?' he asked, sounding just a little less suspicious than Lord Harold, only just.

Arthur beckoned at Alina. 'I am not as knowledgeable on the subject as the Lady Alina,' he apologized. 'But I think she will be more than capable to enlighten you in the matter.'

_I hate you! _Alina thought at him. _What do you think you're doing!? You're throwing me to the wolves!_

_Believe me, I'm doing you a favour_, he replied. _Just tell them what you told me and everything will be fine._

_You are starting to sound like Merlin_, she thought unhappily, but she did as he had asked, explaining to the court about the mandrake root, its effects and how it had been used to force the king into living his worst nightmares. At Arthur's prompt she also clarified how it was possible for her to know all this without being the one that had cast the spell in the first place. Several jaws dropped when she explained that she had been born in the future and that her counterpart had used a spell to make them swap bodies.

Leon was one of the persons whose eyes had widened during her speech and she had to come to the conclusion that Arthur had failed to mention that little detail about her to the friendly knight. 'Then Alina is not your real name, my lady?' he asked. She could tell he was just interested to know and did not ask this out of suspicion. He was also the only one to address her as a noble lady in this council, apart from Arthur, that was. Thank God for Leon. But then, he had always been one of the kindest, most open-minded people in Camelot.

She smiled. 'It is now,' she said. 'But until three years ago I went by the name of Lynn. Since my counterpart is currently claiming that name, I figured I might as well take her old name.' She did not feel like explaining things like destiny right now. She had a feeling that some people here might actually faint if she did. Besides, this sounded like a plausible explanation.

Lord Harold still eyed her warily. 'So, until three years ago you had never practised magic?'

She nodded. 'That is correct, Lord Harold.' The man's lack of manners was starting to annoy her by now. The noble had already interrupted her several times, addressing her as if she was a lowly servant instead of a princess. Normally she would not have been bothered, but when it came from Lord Harold it was different. And through her connection with Arthur she could feel she was not the only one to lose patience with the nobleman's lack of respect. The prince had to work his hardest not to interfere and let her sort this out herself.

'Then why did you start using it here?' Lord Harold demanded.

'I did not have much of a choice,' she replied as politely as she could, even with her patience running out rapidly. 'My counterpart had magic naturally and since I now inhabit her body, I have it now.' Seeing that this explanation wasn't enough to get the man off her back, she continued: 'Besides, Arthur would probably be dead several times over had it not been for my magic. I have frequently used my powers to heal his injuries as well as to protect him from dangers such as bandits and evil sorcerers.'

'I can bear witness to that,' Arthur said calmly. 'As can Gaius and my own manservant Merlin. My decision is therefore final. The Lady Alina is to remain in Camelot and she will not be harmed by anyone, or they will be punished in accordance with the laws of the land. So, now we must really move on to more pressing matters. Sir Leon, can you tell us what news there is of Cenred's army?'

Alina sighed in relief. She was infinitely grateful that Arthur had taken the conversation to a different subject. He had done it in a very clever way as well. She saw more and more signs of the king he was to become one day. She was more proud of him than words could express.

She was glad with the break. The last half of an hour had left her with a dry throat and trembling hands. She had grown so used to hiding the truth about her magic and her background that it felt terrifying now that she could finally be open about them. Of course the reaction of the attending nobles wasn't particular helpful. She could see disbelief, shock and a huge amount of fear written across their faces. Only very few people seemed to believe her at her word, Leon being one of them.

She focused on her breathing, using all her willpower to slow it down. From experience she knew this was a reliable method to calm herself down. After this she forced her face back into the expression of calm determination.

It was only when she had achieved this that she concentrated on the conversation that was going on around her. There was discussion about the best way to stop Cenred and somehow some of the lords had ended up pleading with Arthur to give Cenred some territories to buy enough time for the king to recover, so that Uther himself could deal with the situation adequately.

She could feel Arthur's emotions almost as well as her own and she felt that he started to doubt himself even more than he already did. He did not think himself worthy before the meeting and this bunch of idiots was busy undermining what little confidence he still had in himself.

At realising this Alina felt all the nerves and fear disappear in an instant. She simply could not allow them to do this to Arthur, so she acted without further thinking. 'Can you hear yourselves talking?' she questioned, rudely interrupting one of Lord Harold's monologues for a change.

She was met by complete and utter silence. Many looked at her in shock. She could almost read their thoughts from their faces. _How dare that witch open her mouth like that?_

She tried not to let it get to her. After all, it was not her this was all about. It was Arthur. She had to be strong for his sake. 'Can you hear yourselves talking?' she repeated, pleased to find that her voice didn't tremble. 'Because I can. Do you honestly believe that Cenred will be content with just a few territories? Do you believe that that will stop him from marching on Camelot?' She waited a moment, but no one replied. They were all struck speechless, so Alina was forced to answer her own question. 'Of course not. We all know that Cenred has wanted Camelot's throne for ages. He smells an opportunity to get it now, so a compromise is not going to stop him.'

'We can't stop him!' Lord Harold said. 'We're outnumbered two to one.' He pointed at her in anger, which made her back away automatically. 'But I see your plan, _witch_! You want us to lose, don't you? That has been your scheme all along!'

Before she could even think of how she should respond to that insult, she was side-tracked by something else: a flash of pure rage radiating from Arthur, pulsing through their connection with so much force that it almost sent her stumbling backwards.

'One more insult, Lord Harold, and I'll have you thrown in the dungeons!' he bellowed. 'The Lady Alina is a trusted ally of Camelot and you will treat her as such! Any harm done to her will be done to Camelot as well and will be punished. So I advise you to watch your tongue carefully, Lord Harold. My patience with you is wearing very thin.'

_Then why not throw him in the dungeons now?_ Merlin thought angrily. Her friend did not seem to take too kindly to the obnoxious lord either.

_Because like it or not, we need him_, Alina thought back. _He is a close friend of Uther's, so in the king's absence his opinion matters greatly. Arthur may have a hard time if he decides to go through without Harold's support._

Alina was surprised Merlin did not know this himself. After all, he had been here all along while she spent the last two years in exile. But then, politics had always interested her and Merlin could not care less, unless it affected destiny.

Lord Harold muttered some hardly audible excuse.

'Good,' Arthur said icily. 'Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted? Alina, had you finished speaking?'

'Not quite,' she replied. 'I agree with Lord Harold that we wouldn't stand a chance against Cenred if we were to meet him in open battle.' She had to work her hardest not to chuckle at Lord Harold's jaw drop at agreeing with him. Sure he had not seen that one coming. 'We do, however, stand a chance if we stay in the citadel and fight him on our terms rather than his. No army has ever taken Camelot itself, isn't that correct?'

'It is,' Arthur admitted. 'But aren't you forgetting something?'

She shook her head. 'I can't think of something.'

'Cenred has the sorceress Morgause on his side. They'll be able to use magic against us,' the prince reminded her.

She snorted. 'Weren't you the one who said that we finally could fight fire with fire? Fight magic with magic? Did you honestly believe that I was going to sit idly by, twiddling my thumbs, while the rest of you go and have all the fun?'

Lord Richard studied her face to see if she meant it. 'And you would really use your powers to protect a kingdom that would have you executed for using those powers?' he questioned.

She looked him straight in the eyes. 'I have done it before,' she stated calmly. 'Cenred and Morgause are as much my enemies as yours. We should fight them together.'

She could see that Lord Harold was simply dying to say something, but he did not dare to since Arthur had threatened to throw his ass in jail if he did. But Alina could see why it was important that he did speak. After all, he was very close to the king and his opinion mattered a great deal.

'Why don't you tell us what's on your mind, Lord Harold?' she asked softly.

'We have only ever seen sorcerers in Camelot who were trying their hardest to bring down the kingdom,' he said. 'And now you are telling us that you are not one of them. It makes no sense at the very best. The most logical place for you to be is with the likes of Cenred and Morgause.'

She shook her head. 'It isn't,' she disagreed. She decided that there apparently was no way she could really explain this properly without involving destiny, so she might as well do it. 'It is my destiny to be at Arthur's side, to _protect_ him from the likes of Morgause. If I were joining her, I would be getting in my own way. Besides, I have not tried to keep him alive all those times to betray him now.'

Lord Harold was still very sceptical. 'What is it that you have done, then?' he demanded.

'She killed the witch Nimueh!' Merlin spoke up before she could even begin to think of an answer. And when the young warlock saw how shocked she looked, he added a mental: _Please shut up, Alina. Let me handle this._

_But I didn't kill Nimueh!_ she protested. _And I am _not _going to take the credit for something you have done, Merlin!_

_Yes, you are,_ he insisted. _You need something that will convince them of your loyalty to Camelot and killing one of their worst enemies will probably do the job. Besides, I rather had you get the credit than anyone else or no one at all._

_This is ridiculous!_ Alina snapped.

_Deal with it_, he thought back, using one of her favourite phrases.

All eyes had now turned towards Merlin.

'Is this true?' Lord Richard asked.

Merlin nodded fiercely. 'It is. I was there. I saw her do it. Nimueh wanted to kill prince Arthur, so she sent the questing beast to do the work for her. Alina went to her and she killed Nimueh so that the balance of the world was restored or something. Some weird rule about a life for a life. Anyway, by killing Nimueh she saved Arthur.' He looked at her, appearing to be very pleased with himself. _How did that sound?_

She gave a mental snort. _Like the load of nonsense that it is._

But Merlin's little scheme worked as he had planned. Lord Richard gave a respectful nod in her direction. 'Then I have been very much mistaken about you, my lady,' he said. 'Please accept my sincerest apologies.'

She smiled. 'Of course, Lord Richard.'

Lord Harold kept his silence, but she hadn't really expected an apology from him anyway. His prejudice against magic went to the bone and the world would probably come to an end before that would change. She would just have to be patient and hope that one day he would understand what she had done for Camelot.

Sir Leon turned to Arthur now that this matter had been sorted. 'But what would you have us do, my lord?' he asked, getting back to the true problem here

Arthur took a deep breath and then made his decision. 'Prepare the city for siege,' he ordered.


	53. Chapter 53

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter. I'm sorry for all those who thought this was the beginning of the battle. There were some things I needed to write first. The battle will begin the next chapter, I promise. Please enjoy!**

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**Chapter 53**

**Merlin**

Merlin felt very pleased with himself, knowing that it had been his remark about Alina killing Nimueh that had gained his friend the absolute trust of the council. Alina herself was… well, outraged was probably an understatement. She hated to be in the middle of all the attention and now he had given her the credit for something he had done as well, with which she wasn't very pleased either.

Merlin himself could not care less. At least one of them got a bit of the glory for what he had done and it wasn't as if she didn't help him do it. And after all that she had to endure for the past few years, the young warlock had decided that a little recognition couldn't harm her, even though she disagreed with him on that subject.

Now the three of them (Arthur, Alina and himself) were walking through the castle to check the defences. Merlin was still processing what was happening. He had been in minor skirmishes before, but Cenred's massive army did not exactly fit in that category. They were facing a real battle now.

On one hand this made him feel more nervous than he had ever been in his entire life. There were so many things that could go wrong in a normal battle, let alone in one where magic was involved. On the other hand, it made him feel like he was part of something big, something that would be remembered for centuries.

'You did well in there,' he told Arthur, and when the prince threw him a disbelieving look: 'I mean it. I was impressed. We're talking siege engines and battering rams and catapults.' Oh dear, it all sounded even more scary when he started listing it like that, so he soon went back to his real point. 'You made a tough decision. You're risking hundreds of lives…!'

At this point he was interrupted by a now very irritated prince. 'Do you know what?'

'What?' he asked.

'I'd really prefer it if you just kept quiet in these situations,' Arthur said. Yes, he was definitely a bit angry, but Merlin knew him long enough to know that that was not the real reason why he acted like this.

'I am just trying to help,' he pointed out.

'Well, you're not,' Arthur stated.

_He's right, you know_, Alina said. _Reminding him of what we're about to face is so not the best way to calm his nerves._

Keeping that in mind he went for a different approach. 'I know you don't mean that,' he said. 'You're just worried. But you don't need to be.'

Arthur frowned. 'And why is that?'

'Look at what we got!' he said.

The frown did not disappear from his face.

'We've got Alina,' the young warlock clarified.

Arthur nodded in agreement. 'Good point.'

'You,' Merlin went on.

The frown crept back on the prince's face.

'Me.'

'God help me.'

Alina chuckled, whilst poking Arthur. 'Don't be so unkind,' she reprimanded him. She shot him a wary look. 'Although heaven knows he deserves it for letting me have the credit for something I did _not_ do.'

Arthur didn't react to that and Merlin hoped that the prince was just his usual unobservant self and had no idea what Alina meant.

'What is it exactly that you plan to do?' Arthur asked instead.

'I can seal off all the secret entrances,' she started to sum up. 'I'll simply make them invisible. I can do the same thing for the main gate right before the attack starts and everyone is within the city walls. After all, it will be hard for Cenred's army to get into the city if they can't find the gate, won't it?'

Arthur's jaw dropped, as did Merlin's. 'Can you do that?'

She snorted. 'I don't know what the two of you think that I've been doing for the last few years, but I have not been twiddling my thumbs. I've studied the language of the Old Religion closely and as long as you possess magic and you say exactly what you want to happen in that tongue, you can pretty much make it work.' She shrugged. 'There's no need to look so shocked, you know. It's no big deal.'

'No big deal?' Merlin echoed. 'You made new spells all by yourself and you don't think that's a big deal?'

'That's because it isn't,' she insisted. Merlin knew this was just an attempt to get away from all the attention, but she was the future queen, so she had better get used to it.

Arthur shook his head in disbelief. 'Just how powerful are you, Alina?'

'I don't know. Not really powerful.'

Merlin did not buy that and neither did Arthur. 'When you compare yourself to the Great Dragon, perhaps you're right,' the prince said. 'But compared to other sorcerers?'

She shrugged again. 'Average, I think,' she replied. 'Well, and compared to Emrys, I am nothing at all. It's just that I'm quite resourceful when it comes to inventing spells. It makes up a little for what I lack in talent.'

'Don't believe that,' Merlin told Arthur.

'I didn't,' Arthur said. For once they were completely in agreement.

Alina changed the subject of the conversation. 'Well, I think I can also come up with a few spells to strengthen the walls…'

They went on discussing the necessary measures and the subject of the princess's power was dropped. Merlin thought about it, though. It was a question he had been asking himself and her before, but every time he brought it up, she dodged the question, switching subjects as soon as she could.

The young warlock, however, did not believe Alina was as average as she claimed to be. He had seen her do remarkable things. What strengthened his idea was the fact that she was destined to protect Arthur. For some reason it did not seem likely for destiny to pick someone with only average talent for the job. Destiny only ever chose the best.

He helped Alina in casting the protective spells by lending her some of his own power. It was the only way he could help, because he could not be seen practising magic in public. He could not blow his cover, not with Morgana being the way she was. She already had too much she could blackmail him with. He did not need to give her more. Merlin wondered briefly if Alina had known all this and if that was the reason she forbade him from revealing his true identity to Morgana. Well, whatever her motivations were, he was just glad that she had done it.

He had not even finished that thought, when he caught sight of Morgana. A shiver went down his spine when he saw the cold expression on her face. It was like a blade to his heart. How could someone that once had been so kind and good turn into this cold-hearted witch? Morgana had become so cold, so full of hatred and, as always, Merlin could not help but feel that in some way, all of that was his fault.

'Alina!' the witch said, forcing her face back into a smile. It did not reach her eyes. There was only anger there, anger because her plans had been thwarted.

Alina completed the spell she was currently performing, before turning around to embrace her. 'Morgana, it is so good to see you again!' she exclaimed. 'I heard you are only just back home yourself. It's quite the homecoming period, don't you think?'

Merlin did not think Arthur could sense it, but he did. There was a suspicious edge to Alina's voice. The young sorceress was keeping her distance.

Morgana smiled. 'It would seem so,' she said. 'Well, I'm glad you're back as well. You're staying?'

Alina nodded. 'That was the idea. So, we'll have plenty of time to catch up later. Right now I really need to finish my job. Arthur might kick me out again if I neglect my duties.'

'I would do no such thing!' he protested.

Alina chuckled. 'Well, maybe not. It doesn't change the fact that I really need to finish these spells. But I promise that we will talk after the battle, right?'

There was a lot to be heard in those two last sentences. The promise to talk sounded like there was more to it than just talk. Alina's voice implied that there was a lecture being planned. Well, after all she had promised to deal with Morgana after all this was over. He shouldn't be surprised that she would make good on that promise. He hoped it would work out. He would give his right hand for Morgana to transform back into the person she was before she had been abducted.

Morgana understood the all too obvious dismissal, nodded and left without saying another word. Did she understand why Alina acted the way she did?

'Well, let's get on with it,' Alina said, casting one spell after another as if they were never interrupted. The princess smiled, but it was only her mouth smiling. Her eyes were infinitely sad. Merlin knew that his own expression mirrored hers.

**Alina**

The last few days had been full of work and at the end of the third day, Alina felt practically exhausted. Most of her time she spent casting all kinds of protective spells on the castle and its defenders as well. That last bit had been rather tricky, because not everyone agreed with her using magic, most certainly not on people, but in the end Arthur had gotten his way. The prince had pointed out that they could use all the help they could get and that they would be utter fools to refuse help of any sort.

The king's recovery was continuing, albeit very slowly. And with the pace Cenred's army was maintaining, there was no way he would be well enough to join in the battle. Uther had gone through hell and dealing with the aftermath of Morgause's spell was almost as bad as the mandrake itself. He did not always recognize people, had trouble sleeping and when he did sleep, he often woke up screaming from nightmares. Gaius' sleeping draughts did not seem to work with him.

And so Alina had once again told herself not to be such a baby. She had simply marched to the king's bedchamber the second evening. None of the guards had dared to protest against her presence and she had been allowed to enter.

Uther was curled up in his bed, eyes open wide, but not seeing a single thing in the room. His swollen eyes betrayed all too easily that he had been crying and once again Alina found herself incapable of fearing or hating this once so fearsome king. The only thing he made her feel nowadays was pity.

Alina walked over to the bed, seating herself on it rather than on the chair. She simply took Uther's hand and started to sing a lullaby from her own time. It took some time, but she could see that he was listening. It took her some more time to get him to relax and then she started to weave a light form of a sleeping charm in her songs. In the end the king had fallen asleep, looking peaceful. That night he did not have a single nightmare, so Alina had come back the following night to do it again.

When she wasn't strengthening the castle or tending to the king, she was either planning war strategy with Arthur and the council or training as hard as she could. She had tried to keep in shape in her own time, but a bit extra training could never hurt. Sir Leon had asked her why she trained if she didn't need a sword to protect herself with. Everyone knew she was more than capable of defending herself without weapons.

He had a point there, but having a sword in her hand as well as having magic at her disposal, she guessed that made her just feel comfortable. She would never feel as confident as she was now if she were to face Cenred's army without a single weapon.

Leon had quickly returned to his friendly behaviour when he realised she was not going to blast the castle to the ground. He had even come to train with her, which gained him a few very surprised glances from his fellow knights.

'You're still as good as ever,' Leon remarked on the third day. Cenred was only hours away from the city and they weren't the only ones to get some last minute practise.

'I've tried to keep in shape,' she shrugged. 'Although that's hard without an opponent, but I figure it had some effect.'

'I wonder,' Leon said. 'Could you fight me with magic?'

'Only if you plan to spend the battle in the hospital,' she replied.

He laughed. 'No, thank you. I meant: could you fight me like you did all those bandits? With magic tricks?'

She frowned. 'Who told you that? Was it Arthur or Merlin?'

'Both,' he admitted.

'Why am I not surprised?' she muttered under her breath. 'But if I fight you like that, there's no guarantee you don't end up in hospital as well. Branches to the head have never been known to be healthy, you know.'

'So, that's been your doing!' he exclaimed. 'All those times a branch suddenly came down, right on one of their heads, it was you?'

She nodded.

'I'd still like to try it,' he insisted. 'You could just go easy on me.'

She could feel the curious stares from the other knights. They wanted to see. It was some kind of test, she understood. They wanted to see that she could be trusted using magic. 'Fair enough,' she agreed. 'I'll try not to do any permanent damage,' she added teasingly.

'Even if you did, you could heal it easily enough,' he retorted.

'Merlin's really been busy singing my praises, hasn't he?'

He chuckled. 'Kind of. Well, come on then!'

'You don't know what you're asking for,' she warned him.

She really didn't want to hurt sir Leon. Of course she knew a few tricks that were relatively harmless, but he would have a few bruises afterwards and with a battle coming up, that did not sound like the best of ideas.

Besides, she knew how fragile the balance was. One wrong act could turn the entire population of Camelot against her again. Now she was hailed as a hero, but that could all too easily change when people saw her use her magic to actually attack someone.

'You show me,' Leon grinned and then he charged forward.

Well, if he played it like this, he did not give her much of a choice. She extended her hands, muttered a spell and Leon tripped and fell. 'I just did,' she told him.

He looked at her as several other knights chuckled. 'What did you do?' he asked in a confused voice. 'I just tripped.'

'Over a small branch that was on the ground a few minutes ago, but that I lifted up,' she clarified. 'By magic.'

'That's how you've been taking bandits out?' sir Owen asked, unbelieving.

'Yes,' she replied. 'It's easy and inconspicuous. After all, it was my intention that nobody saw me using magic.'

Some of the knights stared openly. Alina could almost read of their faces the question of how often she had done things like this before and how many times they had judged to be either a coincidence or extremely good luck. She could also see them coming to the unpleasant conclusion that must have been a lot of times. She almost felt smug.

'You want to try again?' she politely inquired. Sir Leon was still lying on the ground, some mud stuck in his beard.

He smiled widely at her. 'What did you think?'

The rest of the afternoon she spent rather pleasantly fighting with the knights. Or rather, the knights would try to attack her, sometimes three or four at once, and she would mutter some words and move her hands and their attack would end abruptly. She let them freeze in mid-motion, unable to move, or she would swing their weapons away, leaving them defenceless. One time, she really went as far as hanging them in the air by their ankles, causing the gathered audience to laugh really loud.

By the end of the afternoon some of the knights sure had some bruises, but none of them really seemed to mind. Quite the contrary, after having seen what she was capable of, their confidence had grown. No one seemed to doubt their victory anymore.

'You were easy on them,' Arthur observed as they walked back to the castle. The prince had not participated in the training, but he had been watching for some time. 'You could have sent them flying backwards.'

She shrugged. 'I could have, but why would I do that? We need them to be able to fight. It can't be long before Cenred's here. Knocking your best men unconscious is not the best way of winning a battle.'

Arthur snorted. 'As if we need knights as long as you are around.'

Alina shook her head. 'It doesn't work like that, you know. I may have some power and in a normal battle that could have been enough, although I seriously doubt that too, but Cenred has Morgause on his side. I will be busy enough with her and heaven knows how many other sorcerers that man has been employing.'

'Do you think that he has?'

'I don't know,' she replied. 'He might have. Magic isn't outlawed in his kingdom, after all. He would be a fool not to use that advantage in battle.'

Arthur frowned. 'Does he use them in legend?'

He made her smile. Once he got his mind to it, he really was a very smart man. 'No,' she said. 'But do not let that put you off your guard. Legend isn't that predictable. I have been wrong more than once.'

At that moment the warning bells began to toll, signalling Cenred's arrival. Alina felt a shiver go down her spine, unable to stop it. This was it, her first real battle. And even though she knew with her head that everything would be okay, she could not help but be afraid. There were so many things that could go wrong in a battle…

Arthur smiled a sad smile. 'Time to put your theory to the test.'

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**I'd like to say that you will read that tomorrow, but I don't think I have time to upload then, so you'll have to wait till Sunday. Sorry!**


	54. Chapter 54

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter, which I would like to dedicate to ****Rya3SaberVltar, who has been reviewing a lot and who has been waiting quite some time for the war to finally start. So, here it is at last! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 54**

**Arthur**

Arthur tried not to show his nerves, but he feared he utterly failed on that account. Oh, as long as he had been giving his men a, hopefully, encouraging before-the-battle-speech he had felt all right. He had even felt confident. But now, standing on the battlements with Alina and Merlin, all that newfound confidence went down the drain again. Not even Merlin's you're-going-to-be-the-greatest-king-that-will-ever-live-speech helped him to find back his courage.

There was a good reason for that. Cenred's army was huge. So, of course he knew the definition of being outnumbered two to one, but it was an entirely different matter to see with his own eyes. There were so many men, all of them just waiting to attack, wanting to attack. They were confident that they would triumph tonight. They had, after all, the advantage. They had Morgause, they had the numbers and, unlike Camelot, they had a strong and able-bodied king. All Camelot had was an insecure prince.

Even Merlin looked a little nervous. His servant may be the very powerful Emrys, he also was a young man who had only ever witnessed minor skirmishes from the side-line and who couldn't handle a sword to save his life. Merlin was even paler than normal, and _that_ was saying something. He never looked particularly healthy, but right now he looked downright sick.

The only one who didn't look worried, nervous or scared in the slightest, was of course his fiancée. Typical. The only one not to fret had to be a woman, of course. Although, on second thought, it made sense. She had nothing to worry about. Cenred's men could not harm her in any way. She was too powerful to let anyone get to her.

No, the expression on the sorceress's face could best be described as determined. She had set herself a goal and she was going to achieve it. But it wasn't just determination. Arthur had become rather good at reading people and he knew Alina very well. She was angry. More than that, she was furious. He could see it in her eyes, a look that was even scarier than her infamous run-and-hide look. Her eyes were, there was no other way for it, filled with cold hatred.

Arthur thought he had a fairly good idea why she looked like that. After all, Cenred and Morgause were picking on her friends, as she called it, which was bound to make her very dangerous. He thanked his lucky stars that he wouldn't be on the receiving end of her spells tonight. He almost pitied those that were. Almost.

'Stop worrying, Arthur,' she said. 'You're making me edgy.'

He frowned. 'Does it show that much?'

'No, but I can feel it, remember?'

Oh, yes, that stupid connection. Sometimes he almost forgot about it. Strangely enough it had never really bothered him that she intruded on his privacy. He knew she would only ever use it for his own good. Had it, however, been Merlin that could sense his emotions, the whole thing would have been infinitely more awkward.

'Great,' he muttered. 'Is there nothing I can hide from you?'

She smiled a very teasing smile. 'Very little,' she informed him. 'Which is a good thing, taken into account the number of times you get yourself into trouble.'

'I get myself into trouble?' he asked in a disbelieving voice. '_Please_!'

'What's that army outside the gates doing here then?' she asked innocently.

He groaned. 'Point taken.'

His attention returned to the army and his fear returned. There were so many of them…

'I thought I told you to stop worrying?' she asked.

'Have you seen their numbers?' he demanded.

She snorted. 'Of course I have. I'm not blind, you know.'

He would give anything to read her mind at that moment. 'How is it you are not afraid?'

She smiled her famous sad smile. 'Oh, but I am afraid,' she replied. 'I just don't show it. I keep telling myself that we have the advantage. We have the castle, which is one of the best defences in and out of itself.'

'And we have you enchanting that castle to withstand almost anything,' Merlin chimed in.

Alina put her hand on his arm, like she used to do before she was exiled. 'Cenred's army won't be able to find the gate, Arthur.'

He offered her a worried smile. 'Let's hope you're right.'

**Alina**

The battle begun with Cenred firing fireballs at the castle. Alina saw the soldiers brace themselves in anticipation as the first ball came almost straight at them. The tension radiating from Arthur intensified in tenfold. The prince realised there was no time to run.

Just before the fiery thing was about to hit, it collided with an invisible wall. The object bounced straight off it, returning down its original path and crashing into the trebuchet that had sent it flying in the first place.

Arthur stared at her, jaw dropped. 'Is that your doing?' he asked.

She grinned widely at him. 'It would seem that my defences are holding,' she simply replied.

She had been a little insecure at first. After all, she had never cast these spells before and even though she was pretty much convinced that they would work, it was reassuring to see for herself. And if this was working, so would all her others.

She took the binoculars she had taken with her from her own time and used them to locate Cenred and Morgause. She found them quick enough. She had never seen either of them in real life, but they were exactly what she had expected them to be. Cenred was indeed a dark-haired, cruel-faced man and Morgause looked indeed every inch a beautiful, but dangerous woman.

Right now this dangerous woman had to defend herself verbally as Cenred shouted at her, no doubt not amused by this turn of events. _Let's hope this is enough to make him get out of here as fast as possible_, Alina thought.

'What are you looking at?' Merlin wondered.

'Cenred and Morgause,' she replied. 'It would appear that Cenred is not very pleased with reception of his royal idiotness. It looks like he blames Morgause.'

'Can you hear what they're saying?' Arthur asked.

Despite the serious situation, Alina could not help but laugh. 'This is a device to make you see things that are far away,' she explained. 'I can't hear what's going on there.'

Arthur frowned. 'Isn't it a magic tool?'

She laughed even louder. 'No. This is just an invention from somewhere between your time and mine. It's just technology, Arthur.'

The prince eyed it warily. 'It doesn't look like that.'

'Well, if you think this is magic, I can't wait to see what you'll think about computers and stuff like that.'

This earned her blank faces from both Arthur and Merlin.

She shrugged. 'Never mind.'

'Aren't there any eavesdropping spells that you know of?' Arthur wondered. 'It would be nice to know what they were saying.'

She thought about that one for a moment. 'No official ones,' she replied thoughtfully. 'But I guess I could think of some spell. Give me a second…'

'Think of one?' Merlin echoed, sounding shocked.

'Invent one,' she clarified. 'Make one up.' She got an idea then. 'Hmm, maybe this will work.' She held out her hand in the direction the two conspirators were and started to formulate a spell that would hopefully allow her to hear every word the two were saying.

She knew it worked a second later. It was as if Cenred was shouting standing right next to her.

'This was not what we had bargained for, Morgause! And you know it!' the angry king yelled.

'Patience, Cenred!' the witch snapped.

'You knew they had a magic-user on their side, didn't you?' Alina could sense how dangerous this man was just by listening to his voice and she was glad she wasn't in Morgause's shoes right now. 'You knew it and you didn't tell me! You'll have me send my men to the slaughter like this!'

'Does it work?' Arthur asked impatiently.

She nodded, focussing on the distant conversation as much as she could. 'Cenred's not happy. He's yelling at Morgause. Hmm, he's doing an ever better job than you. I'm impressed.'

'We have still a chance to win this!' Morgause insisted.

'How?' Cenred snarled. 'We can't even find the bloody gate. It has just vanished! Do you now suggest that we walk through a solid stone wall?'

'Try,' Alina muttered. 'Saves us the trouble.'

'What's that?' Merlin asked.

She ignored it.

'Patience!' Morgause ordered. 'You forget we have an ally in the court. You will not be disappointed, I promise you.'

Alina cursed under her breath. This sounded a lot like it had in legend. Apparently legend liked to play tricks for the worse, but sure not for the better. Why could legend just never be nice to them?

She moaned.

'What's going on? Are you unwell?' Arthur asked in a worried voice.

'I'm fine,' she replied. 'But Morgause just said something of a rather disturbing nature. She said she has an ally in the court and that Cenred will not be disappointed in that particular person.'

_She means Morgana!_ Merlin mentally shouted at her.

_I know, Merlin. And stop shouting at me. I'm not deaf, you know._

_But she's up to something!_ he protested.

_Obviously, _Mer_lin_, she retorted, using Arthur's irritated tone. _But we can't do anything yet. We'll have to wait for her to act and then deal with her._

He frowned. _Why not stop her before she can wreak havoc on Camelot?_

_Because I want to get her to see my point_. Alina had thought long and hard on this one. She had no doubt she would be able to stop Morgana before she could conjure an army of the dead. But she had to think about the long run as well and if she acted like this, she was likely to remain on the path of evil. Alina knew she needed subtler means to get Morgana to see her point, which was why she needed to let this happen.

'A traitor?!' Arthur yelled.

She sighed. 'What's wrong with you, guys!' she exclaimed. 'There's no need to shout. I. Am. Not. Deaf.'

'There's a traitor within our walls?' Arthur asked again.

She nodded. 'Are you really surprised?' she asked. 'After all, you knew that someone put the mandrake root in your father's chamber.'

Maybe she had spoken a little too casually, because Arthur's eyes narrowed in suspicion. 'You know who the traitor is, don't you?'

Uh-oh. But she wasn't going to lie anymore, she had promised herself, so she chose a light tone to answer. 'Whatever gave you that impression?' she asked innocently.

'Don't play stupid with me!' he snapped. 'You know it and you're holding out on me!'

'Yes,' she admitted in an icy voice, hearing the barely concealed accusation in those words. 'And I have very good reasons for not telling you, thank you very much.'

'What on earth, Alina!'

'I may be able to change something about the traitor's fate, but that might prove to be a little difficult if that person is exposed now. And no, I am not going to tell you.'

He stumbled backwards. 'You're what?'

'You can stop looking at me like that,' she told him. Alina could not believe what an ass he was. Did he really trust her so little? Did he honestly believe her capable of betraying any of them? 'There are things that simply have to happen so that I can change things around here. You're going to have to trust me, as hard as that apparently is for you.'

He looked at her as if she had just slapped him across the face and she could feel confusion and hurt come through their connection.

But she had no time to think about either of his emotions as the evil king and witch demanded her attention again.

'Your words are very reassuring indeed, Morgause,' Cenred growled. 'That doesn't change the fact that we can't get into the castle!'

'Don't fear, Cenred,' Morgause answered smoothly. 'Leave it to me.'

'Oh, _shit_!' Alina exclaimed.

**Arthur**

Arthur was still processing the shock of having Alina protecting a traitor of Camelot when all of a sudden, the sorceress's face went blank again. Next moment she was cursing out loud.

'What's happening?' he demanded.

The answer presented itself half a second later as the outer wall of Camelot was breached with one well-aimed spell. The stone literally exploded and was sent flying in all directions, taking out a few knights in the process.

Arthur did not have this magical connection to his fiancée to tell him whenever something was wrong, but there was no need for that. The fury practically radiated from Alina's body. Her expression darkened.

'Playing nasty, are we?' she muttered under her breath. 'Don't worry, Morgause. Two can play that game.'

They got off the battlements to the battle that was now starting in the street. Arthur pushed everything from his mind as he joined in the fight, letting his battle instincts take over. Cenred's men seemed to be everywhere. The breach in the wall was big enough to allow them to come in in great numbers.

That was what outnumbered meant, he realised. There was almost no fighting them. There were too many. For every man he took down, there were two others to take his place. This was hopeless!

'Could you please step aside, Arthur?' a very annoyed voice asked him.

'What?' he panted, too caught up in fighting to recognize the voice.

Someone sighed in irritation and then just dragged him back. Before he realised who had done that he heard an ordering voice. '_Astrice_!'

The attacking men were flung backwards. Arthur had never seen anything like it before in his life. As soon as Alina, because she had been the one to speak, held out her hand and said the word all the enemy soldiers in sight were lifted off their feet and sent flying back through the gap in the wall.

Arthur blinked a few times, staring at her. When they had that conversation about her powers, he had known that she was powerful. He just hadn't realised she was _that_ powerful. With one flick of her wrist she had cleared the area around them. Just like that. And she didn't even look like it cost her a lot of energy.

For the first time ever he saw her as dangerous. Strange that this thought had never occurred to him before. When he had found out that she was a sorceress, he had hated her. There had been little room to think of anything else. When she had then explained everything to him, he had simply chosen to trust her, because that was the right thing to do. But now, as she stood there, proud and unyielding, her hand held out, her face cleared of all emotions, he realised that she was truly dangerous.

As the last soldier had been sent back through the gap, Alina muttered another spell and the wall repaired itself. It was only a matter of seconds before the wall was back in place. It wasn't just repaired, it was as if nothing had ever happened to it in the first place.

She sighed out in relief as the spell was finished. 'Well, that might buy us some time,' she said. 'Here, let me look at the wound.'

She took him by the hand and led him away from the knights. Arthur looked at his arm and was almost surprised to notice that someone had apparently hit him. He could not for the life of him remember when that had happened.

Alina wasted no time, pulled the fabric away and spoke a spell. The wound closed immediately. As if it had any choice but to obey her every command, Arthur remarked to himself. He started to wonder if there was anything she could not do. He rather doubted it.

'How much time do we have?' he asked.

'I can't say,' Alina replied. 'Eventually Morgause will break through my defences again, but for now she'll have to work her way through a whole bunch of protective spells and that will take some time.'

'Any indication?'

'A quarter of an hour, perhaps.'

Arthur studied her closely. He had noticed a sudden reluctance in her voice, as if she didn't want to speak to him, something he did not entirely understand. And now he saw that she also avoided looking at him.

'What's the matter with you?' he demanded.

'I'm fine,' she mumbled. For someone who had kept her magic a secret for a year, she was a very poor liar.

'I don't believe that for a second,' he stated. 'Now, tell me, what is wrong with you?'

'Nothing,' she insisted, still looking at her boots.

'Alina, I order you to tell me what's wrong with you,' Arthur said. He usually hated to force people to do anything, with Merlin being the obvious exception, but he felt that in this case it was necessary to force the truth out of her.

'You're afraid of me,' she muttered.

Of all the things he had expected to hear, even though he could not quite determine what those might have been, this had been the very last. So, for a moment he was just speechless, staring at her face. She kept her gaze firmly on the ground, but Arthur wasn't fooled. He knew her long enough to know that she was on the verge of crying.

'What?' he yelled when he had found his tongue again.

She shrugged. 'You are, aren't you? I could tell you were absolutely terrified of me when I removed Cenred's soldiers.'

'That's what's bothering you?' he asked in a disbelieving voice. 'Of all the things you could be worrying about right now?'

That snapped her out of whatever strange mood it was that had struck her. She jerked her head up, eyeing him with fury. 'What else had you expected me to feel, Arthur Pendragon? I have a direct access to your emotions, in case you had forgotten. I could feel how frightened you were when you saw me perform actual powerful magic. How am I supposed to think about anything else when my entire mission here relies on you trusting me enough to let me do what I have to do?'

He blinked a few times after that speech. And although he hated to admit it, she was right. That did, however, not meant that he did not have some questions. 'What am I supposed to think, Alina! You're protecting a traitor's identity! Please tell me what I am supposed to make of that?'

'I know that this sounds bad,' she admitted. 'But I can't tell you.'

'You already told me that,' he said impatiently. 'I just want to know why you can't tell me.'

'Because I think I can the traitor persuade to be good again. The Great Dragon was pretty convinced that I could really change things around here. I can't just kill this person without having tried it first,' she begged.

Ugh, how did she do it every time? How was it possible he always let her get her way? Surely it wasn't magic. He had not seen her eyes flash gold.

'The traitor, you must be close to him or her,' he observed.

She nodded, defeated. 'Kind of. I just can't bear for this person to become so evil at heart. I know what happened in the legends and I can't just let it happen for real. I can't!' Her voice broke and she surrendered to the tears.

There was only one thing Arthur could do in such a situation. He embraced her. 'It's going to be fine,' he told her.

'That's my line,' she protested weakly.

'You could use a taste of your own medicine every now and then,' he teased lightly. 'You're always so busy in telling everyone else not to worry, we need to remind you once in a while.'

She chuckled. 'Who are you and what have you done with Arthur Pendragon?'

'I am offended, Alina. What makes you think I am anything less than caring?'

'Your past behaviour would be a nice start.' He could hear she teased him now and he was glad they had moved away from the depressing subjects.

'I changed that, you know,' he told her. He could tell that she was expecting something more and he had a fairly good idea of what that was. 'And no matter what you may think now, I still trust you unconditionally.' It was only as the words left his mouth that he realised that he actually meant them.

As a smile broke through, Arthur knew his guess had been spot on. 'In that case, we had better get back to the battle. No doubt Morgause has almost worked her way through my defences.'

The words had hardly left her mouth when the wall was breached a second time.

**Yes, I know that was another cliff-hanger. I can't seem to stop doing it. Sorry! And, as always, reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	55. Chapter 55

**And the battle continues… The entire chapter is in Alina's POV. Hope you like it. Let me know!**

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**Chapter 55**

**Alina**

Once again Alina found herself saying some words that were not considered nice in her own time, but were thought to be highly inappropriate in Camelot. Well, at the moment she could not care less. The main problem was that the wall was breached once again and that she was apparently not capable of repairing it again. She could sense the spell that prevented her from doing so. She could even tell what the words of the spell must have been. She just could not for the life of her find a way around it.

'Can't you repair it?' Arthur panted as he finished of one of Cenred's soldiers.

'That bloody witch has done something to prevent me from doing so,' she replied. She sent some soldiers flying backwards, so that she had the space and time to try again. The wall stubbornly refused to cooperate.

'The wall is lost to us,' Arthur told her. 'Retreat to the barricades!'

As she did as he asked she felt the disappointment wash over her. She had tried so hard to make things different, to keep the army outside the walls so that they could deal adequately with the dead army that Morgana was bound to conjure up soon. Of course, legend didn't want her to succeed.

Or was it legend? Maybe it was just Morgause. Alina had been using magic a lot to defend herself, but it had always been against non-magical people like bandits. The only two times that she had been involved in something like a magical battle (Sigan and the troll. In Alina's opinion Nimueh did not really count as Merlin had done most of the work), she had failed rather spectacularly, the second time ending with her being very injured.

The point was that she had never practised magical combat. Merlin and her had given it a few tries when they were bored, but it had not been their priority as they usually worked from behind the scenes. The chances of getting caught up in a magical duel had been very slim. Slim, but clearly not impossible. Alina hated herself for not having practised this more.

Well, in any case it was too late for regrets now. She just had to deal with the consequences. She ran with back to the barricades with Arthur and the knights, but not after she had swept a whole bunch of warriors quite literally off their feet. After that she set a great fire alight between them to stop those still standing from pursuing them any time too soon.

'Great job,' Arthur complimented her.

She had to do her best not to chuckle. Arthur's attempts to get himself back into her good graces were rather too obvious. It was about time someone taught him something about subtlety.

'That's what I'm here for,' she replied, panting slightly. She hated to admit it, but she was exhausted. If she had six hours sleep in the last four days it was much. She suspected it was somewhat less than that. On top of that, she had been caring for an ill king, arguing on a daily basis with stubborn council members, casting protective spells on both castle and knights and training with the knights to get back in shape. And if that wasn't enough already, she now found herself in the very middle of an actual battle going on. To be quite honest, she was surprised she was still capable of keeping herself going. She strongly suspected the adrenaline was to blame for that.

'Have you seen that halfwit?' Arthur suddenly asked.

'Merlin?' she checked.

'There are no other halfwits in Camelot, are there?' Alina admired him for being able of making jokes whilst battling. It was a way of remaining sane in a way, she supposed. Jokes kept it all bearable, she had learned long ago.

'I know of one that is trying to attack us as we speak,' she retorted. 'Do you suppose that counts?'

'Ha!' he laughed before getting serious again. 'I haven't seen him since the wall was breached for the first time.'

'He'll be fine,' she said, answering the question he did not dare to ask aloud.

Arthur did not seem reassured.

'I'll check on him,' she said. _Merlin?_

_Yes_, the immediate reply came.

_Where are you?_

_In the hospital, keeping an eye on Morgana. Is something wrong?_

_Yes_, she answered in a serious tone, before adding: _Arthur's worried._

_He's worried?_

_I don't need to spell it out for you, do I? And besides, I could really use a little help around here. Let Gaius keep watch over Morgana._

She could feel him hesitating. _You know she is up to something, right? It doesn't seem right to let her out of our sight._

Alina's patience was practically non-existent now, caused by the serious situation and a great lack of sleep. _Get. Over. Here. Now!_ she mentally snarled.

Merlin did not have the guts to protest. _Sure, be there soon._

'He's on his way,' Alina reported, sending another magical attack at her opponents. You would say that they grew tired of getting flung back all the time eventually, but so far they hadn't. They kept coming.

A wordless battle cry coming from her left distracted her. A sword hacked into their enemies and Alina looked up to see who it was that was joining them so recklessly in the battle. She really shouldn't have been surprised to see that it was Uther. After all, he had done the same thing in the legend. But then, when she had last checked on him, he had been sleeping very deeply. She had not expected him to wake up so soon.

She saw the prince's eyes also widen in shock when he recognized his father. _What is he doing here?_ Arthur mentally shouted at her.

_I have no idea_, she answered truthfully. _I just know that we need to get him out of here as soon as possible. He's not well!_

Uther's actions, however, belied her statement. Camelot's king was more than a little reckless as he swung his sword at their attackers. But if he wasn't careful, that recklessness was going to be the death of him. And careless he most definitely was.

_Then let's get him back to the castle!_ Arthur suggested.

_Agreed_, Alina said.

'Father!' Arthur called out, catching one of his arms.

Alina hurried to take his other arm and between them they dragged the king away from the front lines. Uther was not pleased with this turn of events. He struggled viciously in their grasp, determined to get back to the battle as fast as he could. Well, Alina figured it was probably a good thing that he had not yet recognized her. Then he would in all likeliness turn on her instead of the enemy.

'What are you doing!' Uther shouted.

'You are not well, father,' Arthur said.

'This is my kingdom!' the king groaned.

The next moment an arrow hit the king in his left upper leg, making an end to all his struggle as he all but collapsed on the stones.

'Let's keep moving,' Alina urged as Arthur hesitated. 'We can't stay here.'

The king saw her now for the first time. His eyes widened in surprise for a moment and then anger took over once again, albeit for a different reason now. 'What is that witch doing here?' he demanded of Arthur.

The very last remnants of Alina's patience had run out. She had been treated with the utmost suspicion by almost every single noble and some of the commoners for the last few days, she couldn't remember the last time she had seen a decent bed and now she was being insulted once again, and by the man whose sanity she saved only days ago on top of that, that was just too much. She snapped.

'Saving your mind and your kingdom, again,' she snapped. 'Forgive me, sire, for trying to prevent Morgause from taking over here.'

Uther stared at her in shock, but didn't appear to be saying something. Alina ignored him as he wasn't capable of doing anything to her at the moment. The king had dropped his sword and his injury made him practically incapable of supporting his own weight, let alone attack someone.

She watched back at the barricade, which was nearly overrun. 'Arthur, we can't hold it,' she told him in a soft voice. 'We must fall back to the citadel.'

Arthur glared at her. 'We can't! It's too soon.'

'If we wait, we'll still have to pull back later on, only if you decide to do that, there will be a lot more lives lost in the end,' she said bluntly. 'Tell them to pull back now and I can cover our retreat, keep them off our backs for a little longer, so that we can prepare for the next attack.'

She could feel Uther's eyes on her, looking at her with a mingle of fear and surprise. Really, was it that strange that she only wanted the best for Camelot? When had she ever not had Camelot's best interest in mind?

Arthur gave her a hardly visible nod. 'Pull back! Retreat!' he ordered.

He set the example himself, dragging his father back with him. Alina had decided it would be best if she avoided contact with the king, so she let Arthur do it himself. Instead she opted on casting several spells for Morgause to work her way through. That would buy them another ten minutes if they were lucky. And, just for good measure, she also set the barricade on fire. And not just any fire, but a huge, all-consuming fire. No man in his senses would want to get past that.

When all this was done she ran beside sir Leon back into the courtyard.

'That was impressive,' the blond knight said.

She laughed out loud, probably a way to deal with all the tension, as there was nothing funny about this situation, at all. 'Thanks,' she told him, not sure it was very impressive indeed. She was sure that Merlin could do better. Besides, this wasn't over yet. There were so many things that could still go wrong.

She met up with Arthur and Uther in the square again, while Leon went back to give instructions to the knights. Arthur had pulled the arrow out of his father's leg and the king had to work his hardest not to scream.

Arthur gave her a questioning look.

'I left a few rather nasty spells. That will keep them busy for a while and if they are dealt with, there is still a huge fire that they need to get past,' she reported, ignoring the king as best she could.

'How long do you think we have?' Arthur asked.

She sighed. 'I don't know. Ten minutes, maybe a little more, but not much.' She caught sight of the bloody mess the king's leg was now. 'Do you suppose…?' she wondered.

Arthur turned to his father. 'Alina wonders if she is allowed to fix your leg,' he said.

'I will not allow that witch to touch me!' the king protested immediately.

She snorted. 'I don't need to touch you,' she explained as calmly as she could.

'Don't you dare!' Uther warned her.

'Do it, Alina,' Arthur said.

At least that struck them both speechless. Uther simply stared at his son, his jaw dropped. Alina blinked a few times.

'Arthur, contrary to what you obviously believe, I do not have a death wish whatsoever,' she said. The very idea of using magic on Uther against his wishes nearly scared her to death. Whilst he was not healthy and asleep it was a different matter entirely. That man caused anyone to feel pity. The injured and very angry man before her only inspired fear.

Arthur shrugged. 'It's not like this would be the first time you used your magic to help him.'

She concentrated on their connection, not trusting his motives on this one. She suspected there was a little more to this idea than just use her healing skills as she had done before. And once she focused on his emotions, that suspicion was confirmed. Arthur wanted her to prove to his father that she actually could use her magic for good, in the hope of changing Uther's mind about her.

That did, however, not mean that she thought this was a good idea. 'When he was unconscious, yes!' she snapped.

'He's bleeding, Alina. He could end up an invalid without your skills,' he pointed out. 'And, after all, it was _your_ idea…'

It was so annoying that he was right about this. She had so much rather that he was wrong. She growled at him. 'You're so unfair, Arthur Pendragon,' she said. 'You are absolutely intolerable!'

He smirked. 'So you keep telling me. Are you going to do it or not? I don't think we have very much time left.'

Uther had watched this conversation with a disbelieving look on his face. Alina would very much want to know what the magic-hating king was thinking right now. It was impossible to tell from his expression in any case.

'Fine!' she snapped. She knelt down and removed the blood-stained fabric from the wound to have a closer look. Uther started to protest again and she could hear Arthur tell his father to shut up and just watch what she was doing. That shut him up rather nicely. Alina strongly doubted that anyone had ever before told the king that he had to keep quiet.

'How bad is it, Alina?' Arthur questioned.

'Not too bad,' she replied. 'And nothing I can't fix. But I'm not going to use magic unless you allow it, sire.' She looked up into the king's face.

'Give me one good reason why I should, witch,' he snarled.

'Because I can deal with this better than Gaius,' she told him bluntly. She hated boasting, but this was the simple truth and she was not going to hide it, not anymore. 'And because I have never ever hurt you before, nor will I ever do such a thing.'

Uther breathed heavily and Alina could tell he was in a lot of pain. Still, there was so much pride in the man, showing clearly on his face. He had hated magic for decades and he wasn't going to let go of his prejudices so easily. _Stupid man_, she thought. _His pride is going to get him killed one day if he isn't careful._

The conflict was plain as daylight on Uther's face. On one hand he was in a lot of pain and he wanted to get rid of that so that he could get back to the battle. On the other hand it went against everything he believed in to let a witch use her magic to heal that wound, even if she claimed to be on his side.

In the end he came to a conclusion. 'If you harm me, I'll have you burned at the stake,' he threatened.

'Glad I got your permission,' she replied sarcastically. She then looked at the wound again and began the incantation. From the corners of her eyes she noticed Uther's eyes that widened in shock as he saw that the bleeding stopped and the blood disappeared. Alina paid it very little mind. She simply went on with repairing the damaged muscles and veins before letting the skin grow back over the now no longer existing wound. She had done this so many times before that it didn't take too much effort. The job was done in less than a minute.

The king gasped, shocked yet again, as he looked at his leg. He blinked a few times and touched the spot a few times to assure himself this wasn't an illusion.

'What devilry is this?' he demanded.

'It's healing magic,' she replied. 'And I sincerely hope you are not planning on burning me at the stake for it,' she added.

Arthur's expression betrayed that he was not really comfortable with the way things were going and that he was desperate for an excuse to change the subject. So when Merlin came rushing into the square at full speed, that was the perfect excuse.

'How good of you to join us, Merlin,' he scowled.

'Gaius… keeping me… busy,' the young warlock panted, before addressing Alina with his mind. _Morgana has disappeared. Gaius looked the other way for just a moment, he said, but then she was gone._

She tried to remember what she could. She was sure that Morgana was going to collect her staff from her room first and then head down to the crypts. _How long ago?_ she asked.

_About ten minutes ago._

Too late to catch her in her chambers. She would be already down there and if she wasn't yet, she would be soon. Either way it was too late to intercept her, as her original plan had been. She thought she might have a little more time, but of course legend didn't allow her more time. Just great.

_Right, I'll try to go after her before she can do any permanent damage_, she decided. _I'll need you to look after Arthur in the meantime._

Merlin nodded, but their conversation was side-tracked by Arthur, who was still trying to lead Uther's attention away from Alina. 'Where have you been, Merlin?' he questioned, his tone implying that if Merlin gave the wrong answer, he would spend the rest of the month in the stocks.

'Nowhere,' Merlin said, trying to avoid telling Arthur his real whereabouts.

Arthur frowned. 'You are starting to make a habit of this,' Arthur observed, sounding not amused. That was probably just because he had been so worried for Merlin when nothing was the matter with him. 'What's your excuse this time?'

He did not reply. His jaw dropped and he stumbled a few steps backwards, staring at something that was situated somewhere behind their backs. Uther's face had also gone very pale. A cold shiver went down Alina's spine. Surely it could not be so soon…

Arthur hadn't noticed it. He just glared at Merlin. 'Come on, Merlin,' he pressed. 'You can do better than this!'

The warlock was unable to speak, but he pointed to that point somewhere behind them and Alina turned, afraid of what she might find there, even if she already knew. And indeed she had known.

As the skeleton army approached their spot near the well, Alina could not help but curse the stupid legend that kept sending deadly things their way.

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**So, I hope that this is still believable. Please review, you would really make my day.**


	56. Chapter 56

**And the next chapter's here for you. And thank you for the reviews, favourite and alert. I feel really happy right now. And almost a hundred reviews, just WOW!**

**This chapter was kind of intense to write, so I hoped it turned out all right. Let me know, and enjoy reading, as always.**

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**Chapter 56**

**Arthur**

For a moment Arthur thought this was a dream. Of course it would be a nightmare, but still, it could not be happening in the waking world. But then he decided that he was quite awake only moments ago and that all of this just had a something too realistic touch about it. It wasn't a dream. Unfortunately for all of them, this was reality.

'God have mercy,' Alina whispered. _They are even worse than I imagined it_, she added over the mind link.

This distracted him a little. _You know about this?_

_Stop sounding so surprised every time_, she said, the irritation all too obvious in her mental voice. _Of course I know. I know every single, stupid little detail of what is happening here, remember?_

Well, he knew the theory, but it didn't make the reality any easier to understand. _What do we do now?_

Alina was getting a little bit annoyed._ Why does everyone always think it is up to me to change things or to make the decisions on what needs to be done? Surely you guys have brains of your own?_

'Right, change of plan,' she announced aloud. 'Merlin, go down there and see what's causing this.' She gave him an intense look and he nodded to show that he understood what it was that she was really asking of him. Arthur could all too easily tell that there was more to her request than she showed. And knowing that Merlin was a very powerful warlock, Arthur guessed that it would be Merlin's job to end this attack, magically. 'The rest of us is going to try and stop these creeps.'

Arthur could hear his father protest, but there really was no time anymore. The first skeletons were upon them and Arthur grasped his sword a little tighter. They would not get past him, not if he could help it. Without taking any more time to think about this he attacked the closest skeleton available.

Fighting was a second nature for him. He had been practising since he was a small boy and he was particularly good at what he was doing. But this time it was different. He had never had to fight something so scaring, so unnatural ever before in his life and that was saying something. He had faced an afanc, a griffin, a questing beast, stone statues come alive, a troll, a bastet and even a freaking dragon, but not all of those could compare to whatever it exactly was that was attacking them now.

It did not take long for Arthur to understand that neither of these skeletons were very skilled with a sword. He had his sword stabbed in the thing's heart before half a minute had passed. Only then he came to the conclusion that the thing did not have a heart and he stumbled backwards, an expression of horror on his face. The skeleton merely shrugged, grinned a very not reassuring grin, pulled the sword from his ribcage and threw it aside like it meant nothing to him, which it probably didn't.

The situation was getting dire now. He had lost his weapon and he was about to face a creature that could not die, probably because it was already dead. To make things even worse, this skeleton was in the possession of a weapon and he was not.

The wisest course of action was to make a run for it and try to get another sword as soon as possible. Since Arthur was not an idiot, no matter what Merlin believed, he had already turned to put this thought into action when Alina's voice stopped him. She shouted something in a language he did not understand, but whatever it was, it did the same thing to the skeleton as it had to Cenred's men: it sent the bunch of bones flying backwards, causing it to collide with a stone wall. The bones snapped and were sent flying in all directions.

'Well, I guess that's working,' Alina panted as she came standing next to him.

He nodded, slightly out of breath. 'I guess. Where's Merlin?'

'Dealing with things,' she replied vaguely.

Not that Arthur needed more than vague from her nowadays. He was quite smart enough to put two and two together. Alina had mentioned something about a traitor and now this bloody things had appeared from out of nowhere, so he had no trouble guessing what could have caused that to happen. It would seem that the traitor had magic as well. Well, no real surprise there.

The prince also figured that Merlin was aware of the traitor's existence and possible even his or her identity. His servant and personal magical protector had been a little too unsurprised when Alina had relayed Morgause's words to them. And since Alina had ordered him away to see what's causing this, even if he already knew, he strongly suspected that the real reason she sent him away was not to investigate, but to deal with this. But, of course, with his father around, he should just play the oblivious prince. He found he was getting rather good at it.

'Are you all right?' she asked.

'I'm not harmed,' he replied, because all right was not how he would like to describe the current situation.

Alina's gaze wandered through the courtyard. Suddenly she gasped in shock and as Arthur followed her gaze, he understood why. He thought his father had gone inside, where it was safe. That man was too stubborn for his own good.

The king was fighting one of those horrible skeletons and he was losing. He tripped and lost his sword.

'No!' Arthur bellowed.

His father turned his head, looking straight into his eyes. Arthur broke into a run, but he already knew he was too late. Uther would be dead by the time he got there. And his father knew it as well.

'_Astrice_!' Alina's voice suddenly ordered.

The threat was gone immediately, flung against the nearest wall available, shattering into hundreds of pieces.

Both Uther and Arthur stared at the source of this and they found a panting, slightly smiling Alina staring back at them. The princess looked a little shocked, like she had not expected her spell to be so powerful. Arthur believed that this particular blast was even stronger than the one that had dealt with his attacker.

When no one spoke, Alina did. 'Well, I'd like to say that we've got all the time in the world, but I'm afraid we don't. There are still plenty of these dead guys around.'

Arthur was dying to know what his father was thinking right now. His eyes were wide in shock as he looked at his rescuer. Arthur could not help but feel more than just a little irritated. It wasn't as if this was something she hadn't done before.

Alina noticed Uther's staring as well. She glanced around her, but there were no skeletons in the square at the moment, so she took a deep breath, straightened her back, raised her head and walked over to him. And then she did something Arthur could have never imagined himself doing if he had been in her shoes: she offered the king her hand to help him up.

Uther looked at it as if she had a contagious disease. 'I don't want your help, witch.'

Arthur did not need a direct connection to Alina's feelings to tell that she was saddened by that behaviour. Her face fell, her eyes stopped sparkling. Camelot's prince suddenly felt rage. How could his father treat her like this? After all she had done for the kingdom in general and him in particular, didn't she deserve more than this?

'I'm sorry,' she whispered.

'This is ridiculous!' Arthur exclaimed. 'She has done nothing wrong, father!' He came to stand next to Alina, to show his father whose side he was on in this conflict.

'Arthur, don't,' she said softly.

_Please shut up, Alina_, he thought at her. _Let me deal with this._

The sparks returned to her eyes. Only this time they were angry sparks. Uh-oh. _I won't come between you and your father_, she stated. _That is one thing that is never meant to be._

_Deal with it_, he retorted, echoing one of her favourite phrases.

_Arthur!_

He ignored her and addressed his father again. 'All Alina has ever done is protecting Camelot,' he went on.

'She used magic,' his father said.

'I know,' Arthur said.

'You can't trust her!' Uther growled. 'All magic is evil.'

Arthur sincerely hoped he had never sounded so blind and prejudiced. 'Did you have your eyes closed just now?' he questioned. 'She saved your life! She healed your wound not ten minutes ago! How much more proof do you need before you're starting to realise that she is not evil?!'

Alina laid her hand on his arm. 'Arthur?'

'I told you to let me deal with this,' he said impatiently.

'That's not the problem,' she said calmly. 'I suggest you look behind you.'

He did as she asked and then got a near heart attack. The skeletons that had been lying lifeless and in pieces on the floor just a minute ago had begun to repair themselves, getting back on their feet again.

'God have mercy,' he whispered in shock.

Alina nodded. 'They can't be killed. I had so hoped…'

Arthur could finish that sentence for her. _I had so hoped that legend was wrong on this one. I had so hoped that magic could kill them, even if swords cannot_. He had hoped so himself. It was a shame they couldn't simply will their wishes into reality.

'Merlin had better hurry up,' Arthur said. 'I don't know how long we can hold them off.'

A determined look settled on Alina's face. 'Let's see then, shall we?' she said, her voice full of cold hatred for whoever did this.

She held out her hand to the king again, who was still seated on the ground. Arthur was greatly surprised when his father took her hand without a moment's hesitation. 'Let's,' he agreed.

Arthur's jaw dropped. Wonders never ceased.

**Merlin**

Merlin carefully made his way down to the crypts, sword in hand. Not that he believed a sword would be much use against something that was already dead, but at least it gave him the idea that he wasn't completely helpless.

There wasn't a single person around here. The two guards that had guarded the steps laid dead on the ground, no doubt killed by the dead army Morgana had conjured. His heart ached. Why had she done this? How could she have become so cold, so unfeeling?

Deep down inside he knew the answer to that question: he himself was the reason for what she had become. If he hadn't poisoned her, if he had not practically handed her over to Morgause, things might have been different. If he had found another way to end the sleeping curse on the city, if he had not been so stupid as to listen to the Great Dragon… Alina had even warned him multiple times for the creature. He had his own agenda. He never did something that he did not believe he could profit from. And he had never liked Morgana. Of course it wasn't until it was too late that he had realised this. Typical.

He took some consolation in the fact that Alina was back and that she was working her hardest to make things right again. She had even more or less promised to try and change Morgana's fate again. After all, if she had done it once, perhaps she could do it twice. Merlin certainly hoped so.

But first, this crisis needed to be dealt with. With his thoughts focused on the battle again, he realised he was walking way too slow. Arthur and Alina were out there, fighting something that could not be killed and was threatening Camelot's very survival and here he was, lost in thoughts of what could have been.

He broke into a run, racing down the stairs, down to the crypts. There would be no more timewasting. They could not afford it.

He sprinted into the crypts, but skidded to a stop as he saw Morgana. She had her back turned on him, looking intensely at a staff that was standing in front of her, pinned in the stone floor. From its top a light shone. Merlin could feel its power immediately. It was great, a power that could rival his own. This was no mere trick. But then, he had not really expected that, had he?

The sound of his footsteps made Morgana turn around to face him. The cold expression on her face once again pierced his heart. _Why, Morgana, why?_

'You should leave now, while you still can,' she said. She did not seem to consider him a threat. She had not even lifted her own sword, even though she had surely seen his.

For the sake of their old friendship, Merlin had to try. 'Please, Morgana, I beg you!'

He tried to walk around her, but she followed his every move, never taking her eyes of him. She knew him long enough to know that he would do everything, truly everything in his power to save Camelot. This wouldn't be the first time he'd go to the extremes, after all.

He tried once again to apply to her compassionate heart, that he hoped and prayed would still be there, buried under all that hate. 'Women and children are dying!' he practically shouted, hoping he could get the message to land by speaking loudly. 'The city will fall.'

His words had the opposite effect. Morgana's expression turned into a smirk that caused a shiver to go down his spine. 'Good!' she said. It pained him so much to here that she meant those words with all her heart.

He shook his head in denial. 'No, you don't mean that,' he said. He did not want her to mean that, was more like the truth.

'I have magic, Merlin,' she said, as if that was an explanation for the evil woman that she had become.

_So have I_. 'So has Alina!' he pointed out. 'This is not an excuse! If Alina can use her magic for good, then surely so can you?' he all but begged. 'She has never done harm to Camelot, never. I thought you were like her!' _And how wrong I was._

Morgana snorted. 'And a lot of good it did her, using her magic "for good". Uther almost had her killed because of it, remember?'

Oh, he remembered very well. He remembered every little detail of that nightmare. 'Alina is still helping to protect Camelot as we speak,' he said. 'It's not too late for you to join her!'

'Uther hates me and everyone like me!' she exclaimed. 'Why should I feel any differently about him?'

'You of all people could change Uther's mind!' Merlin started shouting himself. Was she really so blind that she could not see how much the king cared for her? Even a blind man could see it, surely! 'But doing this, using magic like this, you will only harden his heart.'

She looked at him as if he was the stupidest person she had ever come across. 'You don't have magic, Merlin,' she scowled. 'How could you _hope_ to understand?'

_Because I have magic too. But I will never become like you. _

He understood now why Alina had wanted him to keep his magic a secret from her. If she had known, he would probably be dead by now. But he so longed to tell her that he did understand, every single bit of it. He understood what it was to feel alone, to feel like a monster simply for something you were born with. He knew what it was like, but he also knew that it was your own choice what you did with the magic you had been given. Becoming like Morgana was a choice, a choice he had not wanted to make.

'I do understand, believe me!' The words had left his mouth before he had given them permission to do so. He just wanted, so badly for her to see his point.

She eyed him warily. It was obvious that she did not believe a word he was saying.

He chose his next words carefully. 'If I had your gifts, I would harness them for good. That's what magic should be for. That's why you were born with these powers!' _Please, please understand me. Please listen to me!_

His words fell on deaf ears. 'You don't know what it's like to be an outsider!' she snapped. 'To be ashamed of how you were born, to have to hide who you are!'

But he did know. Heaven knew he did.

She lowered her voice. 'Do you believe I deserve to be executed because of who I am?'

He shook his head. 'No,' he said. But she deserved to be executed because of what she did. 'It doesn't have to be like this!' He felt he had to try at least one more time. 'We can find another way.'

For a second he could see a flash of sadness cross her face, but it was only a moment. Then her face hardened again. 'There is no other way.'

There was silence between them as both of them tried to process the meaning of those words. Merlin knew that they had crossed the point of no return now. Morgana was not going to let this go. She had chosen her path and there was nothing he could do to change that.

He backed away, faking a retreat, and then sprinted forward to the staff. Unfortunately Morgana had seen that one coming of course. She was still a skilled swordswoman. He could not risk using his magic in front of her and he was hopeless at best with a sword. He did not stand a chance.

When she disarmed him for the first time, he looked at her, hoping to find some trace of mercy in her eyes. He found none.

'What are you going to do? Kill me?' he asked in a soft voice.

She scowled at him again. 'You don't think I can?' It was almost a challenge.

'If you're going to do it, make it quick,' he told her.

When she swung her sword at her, he ducked, grabbed his fallen sword and their duel continued. He tried desperately to get closer to the staff, she desperately tried to prevent him from reaching it. She still had the advantage, but he had the motivation to keep trying and he could tell that she had not expected that.

Nonetheless he was disarmed again and this time his sword was out of his reach. There was no way he could get to it now.

He then did the thing he did best in battles: he ducked behind a tomb, hoping that this would buy him some time. His heart pounded to fast and he was sure his breathing wasn't exactly normal either. But his mind was clear and he could see that there was no way he could end this by using his sword alone.

It didn't take a second to make a decision. When Morgana could not see him, he muttered a spell and caused the ceiling to partially cave in. Lumps of rock came crashing down. One of them hit Morgana on the head and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

Merlin allowed himself to feel guilty for about half a second, but then he set his mind to the task that needed doing. He could not fail his friends now. This was too important.

He grabbed his sword, shouted the spell and then brought his weapon down on the source of the enchantment. The top of the staff was being hacked right off, falling to the ground as the light on its top died down. He could sense that this also meant that the magic it carried was broken.

As he looked at the remnants of the staff, slightly panting, he could not even feel relief. There was only an overwhelming sense of loss as he looked at Morgana's motionless body, feeling that he may have won the battle, but in the process lost one of his closest friends.

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**Next chapter should be up tomorrow. In the meantime, let me know what you thought about this one. It would really make my day.**


	57. Chapter 57

**And here's another chapter. I am very glad with the reviews posted. Wow, over the 100 reviews! I absolutely feel great now. Anyway, I hope you enjoy today's chapter!**

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**Chapter 57**

**Arthur**

It was still a strange feeling to fight with both Alina and his father at his side. It felt surreal, but yet, they did. Alina was on his right, his father on his left and together they fought this skeleton army.

Arthur did not believe that these four dead bodies were the only ones in Camelot. He had seen quite a lot of them seen as they were making their way to where the knights were fighting. He desperately wanted to help his men, but he knew he couldn't, not yet at least, so he simply focused on fighting the opponents he had now.

Alina had lost her sword some minutes ago and now fought only with her magic. Arthur saw all kind of spells being cast. His fiancée was clearly trying every spell in existence to fight them. Her face was still determined and Arthur once again was grateful that he was not on the receiving end of her spells. He had a feeling that some of them were particularly nasty.

'Aim for their feet!' she instructed between spells. 'If they can't walk, they can't get to us.'

This was different from what he usually did, but it made sense. It was no use to aim for head of heart when that was not going to stop these skeletons from getting at him.

Alina demonstrated her point by firing off a spell that removed the body's legs and then she sent the legs flying to the other side of the square. 'There, that should keep him busy for a while,' she said.

His father swung his sword at another skeleton and hacked its sword arm off. 'This works just as well,' he commented.

'Sure,' Alina agreed, sending the arm across the square as well.

The king and the princess looked at each other and nodded respectfully. Right, now Arthur was sure he was dreaming. Who was that man and what had he done with his magic-hating father?

They took on the two still standing skeletons. Alina tried a few spells that did not really work before she decided on the let's-swing-him-through-the-air spell again. At least that one never failed and Arthur had to admit that it looked really impressive, too.

'What's taking Merlin so long?' he groaned.

'Let's just say that he may experience some trouble along the way,' she replied and Arthur figured she meant the traitor. But then, Merlin could surely send that person flying backwards with one flick of his wrist? Wasn't he the most powerful warlock to ever live or something like that?

'Can you look inside his head?' he demanded.

She nodded. 'Just keep the zombies away from me and I'll try.'

His father gave her a very weird look and Arthur realised just a second too late that he may have forgotten to mention that little detail about her powers. Well, there would be plenty of time later to answer questions. At least, he hoped there would be more time.

Alina's gaze became distant for half a minute and then she joined in the fight again. 'He's alive and fighting,' she reported.

'Against the traitor?'

She rolled her eyes. 'Obviously.'

'What's taking him so long then?' he demanded.

She frowned. 'Apparently he tried to talk to the traitor first.'

Arthur moaned. Leave it to Merlin to try and reason with a heartless traitor while all the while his friends were in mortal peril from an undead army. Did that boy have no brains at all? Or did he have some kind of death wish? Arthur wouldn't put it past him. His servant never ceased to surprise him.

'Did you talk to him?' he asked.

She shook her head. 'It didn't seem wise to distract him. I just watched. I doubt he even noticed I was there.'

Right, so she could spy on people's thoughts without them even knowing? Great, just great. How often would she have done that with him?

Just as he was about to ask that question, something strange happened. The skeletons, all four of them back on their feet by now, suddenly collapsed as if some invisible thing had struck them down were they stood. They fell completely apart. The bones fell to the floor and the skulls rolled away. None of them moved again.

Arthur blinked a few times. It seemed too good to be true. But as time passed and there was still no motion to be seen, it slowly dawned on him that they were really gone now. He sighed in relief.

'Took him long enough,' he muttered.

Alina nodded, her eyes half closed, seeking support at the well. Arthur only then noticed how pale she looked. She looked like she could collapse any minute. What on earth was wrong with her? Was Morgause attacking her with invisible magic?

'Are you all right?' he asked in a voice that sounded too worried to be his own. He never ever sounded like that.

She stumbled. 'Just a bit tired,' she muttered.

The next moment she fell, but he caught her before she could collide with the ground.

'When is the last time you slept?' he questioned.

She grinned sheepishly. 'Don't know,' she replied. 'Two days ago? It could be three as well, I don't know. I'm a little dizzy, I think.'

'Lay her on the ground, Arthur,' his father said.

The prince eyed him warily. Uther may be his father but he wasn't sure he trusted him around Alina, though. After all, he had wanted her dead not an hour ago. He wasn't sure his intentions were good and Alina was in no state to protect herself now.

'I'm not going to hurt her, Arthur,' Uther said impatiently. 'But the girl's exhausted and can't stand on her feet any longer. She'll pass out before long.'

'I'm fine,' Alina disagreed, but her weak voice belied her words. She could barely keep her eyes open as it was. 'Give me just a minute. I'll be fine. I've got to help, got to fight.'

'You are not going anywhere until you have slept, young lady,' Uther said. His tone reminded Arthur of when he was younger and he was addressed in such a manner. Arthur could not stop wondering about why he had changed his tune so suddenly. It didn't make sense. It had to be some kind of trap and the prince swore that he would not let her out of his sight until he discovered his father's scheme.

'The battle's not over yet,' she protested. 'I've got to help.'

'You have done more than enough, Alina,' the king said in a soothing voice. 'You've been up for three days in a row and you have used a lot of magic tonight. You are in no state to stand on your own two feet, let alone fight a battle.'

No matter how much Arthur distrusted his father in this particular matter, he had to admit he had a point. Alina was completely drained and he blamed himself for not noticing sooner. He should have made sure that she rested every now and then. But then, he had expected her to be wise enough to take care of herself. But, of course, she wanted to prove herself to them so badly, that she neglected herself completely. The sorceress was too selfless for her own good, he thought angrily. Even Merlin had more common sense than her sometimes.

'Nonsense,' she said, trying to sound as forceful as she could manage.

She got to her feet again, as if to prove her point, and immediately after fell over again as she passed out, thus proving his father's point. For some reason Arthur wasn't too pleased with that.

**Alina**

It was day when Alina woke again. At least, she guessed it was. There were sunrays dancing before her still closed eyes. Sunrays it were, she decided. The light was far too bright to be flames on a candle.

She kept her eyes closed, breathing evenly, just treasuring the relaxed feel of the moment. She could not remember when she had been so comfortable for the last time, or when she had slept so well for that matter. She figured it had been sometime before she was exiled.

She wasn't really tired anymore (quite the contrary, she felt perfectly rested), but she did not feel like closing her eyes yet. She was simply happy with lying here like this for a few more hours.

Since she was lying in a soft bed she gathered she had not been transported to the dungeons, which was something of a relief. Alina wasn't entirely sure if the king had accepted her return. In the end it had looked like he had, but there just was no telling with Uther sometimes and his prejudice against magic ran deep.

The silence in the room also told her that the battle was over and that Camelot's forces must have won. If Morgause had won, she would have been either dead or in the dungeons by now. Well, no great surprise there. After all, Alina had always known who would come out of this victorious. It was legend and after Merlin had defeated Morgana it had been simply a matter of time before Cenred grasped the impossibility of this fight and ran off with his tail between his legs.

So, for now everything was as it was supposed to be and Alina could finally let herself relax. As she did, she noticed people breathing in the room. Two persons, she guessed. One of them was Arthur, situated somewhere on her right. She could tell by the way he moved and breathed, if not by their connection. Arthur was a little restless and impatient, but suspicious above all else. Why on earth could be the reason for that?

The other person in the room should then be either Merlin or Gwen, simply because no one else would ever wake at her bedside.

'You should go and get some sleep, Arthur,' that person said. Alina was surprised to recognize Uther's voice. What was _he_ doing in here?

'I'm not going anywhere,' the prince said stubbornly. Alina could almost see him pout, which was quite funny. She also understood the suspicion then as well. Clearly Arthur was not convinced his father meant well towards her.

'I won't harm her,' the king promised. 'And you need your rest.'

'I don't believe you,' Arthur said bluntly. 'It is not so long ago that you were practically shouting for her arrest and now you want me to believe that you won't harm her? Don't take me for a fool, father.'

'I don't, Arthur.'

'Then you should have known better than try and get me away from her side.' Alina could sense how angry the prince was. That was not a good thing. Arthur and Uther shouldn't be fighting. She remembered the one time they did in the show and that they really could not have. Not while Morgana was still in league with Morgause and Cenred.

Perhaps it was time for her to "wake up" before these two really lost it. Arthur sounded like he was about to.

So she yawned and then opened her eyes a little, shielding them immediately against the bright light that invaded the room.

At least that got their attention. Arthur was already bending over, a worried expression on his face. 'Alina, are you all right?'

'I'm fine,' she replied, trying not to sound too irritated. Honestly, it wasn't like she got herself into trouble every single time he was around. 'Where am I?'

'You're in your old room,' he said. 'In your own bed, in which you will remain until Gaius has examined you again,' he added as he saw she was preparing to get out.

She frowned. 'Why's that?' she demanded. 'I'm not hurt. I did not get wounded in the battle, did I?'

'Yes, you did,' Arthur said. He pointed at her right arm.

She gave it a closer look, only to notice it was covered in bandages. She did not feel any pain, but by the looks of it, she had indeed some kind of injury. 'When did that happen?' she wondered.

Arthur shrugged. 'Sometime during our fight with the skeletons, I reckon. You did not have it before that. Anyway, Gaius almost killed me for letting you neglect yourself like you did.'

'Neglect myself?' she echoed.

Arthur started to list it on his fingers. 'When he examined you, you were beyond exhaustion, because of a lack of sleep and he also suspected you had not fed yourself as well as you should have.'

'I was too busy,' she muttered, a little ashamed. That had nothing to do with the fact that Gaius' findings were true, but more with the fact that she had collapsed in the middle of a battle because of it.

Arthur grimaced. 'Furthermore Gaius said you are never allowed to use so much magic again. He said that it is dangerous for your health to do so.' He tried to look stern at her, but he failed spectacularly.

Alina already knew that she could not use that amount of magic without having to pay the price. When the skeletons had finally fallen and the adrenaline had left her body, she had felt completely drained, unable to keep going any longer. She must have collapsed there and then, but she had no clear memory of it.

'Don't worry,' she said. 'I'll only do things like that in an emergency. The next time a troll shows up or something…' She laughed at the prince's shocked expression. 'Stop looking so serious, Arthur. I wasn't really going to do it, you know.'

They were both distracted by another person's laughter. Alina had almost forgotten the king was in the room as well, too distracted by Arthur, she guessed. But now she turned to face him, mildly surprised that Uther found their conversation funny and that he had not yet called for her immediate arrest.

'My lord,' she said politely, but also carefully. Last night on the battlefield he had appeared almost forgiving, but she could not really tell and she had not had the chance to ask him about it.

'Good morning, my lady,' he replied, equally polite. He sounded only a little wary. Well, at least he did not seem to call the guards anytime soon. She supposed that was progress in their relationship. 'You have given us all quite a fright.'

That distracted her. 'How long was I asleep then?'

'Almost thirty-six hours,' Arthur replied.

She took some time to process that. 'Wow.'

'That was why Gaius was so mad at us,' Arthur went on.

'Why don't you go and get him, then?' she proposed. 'The sooner he is here, the sooner I can get out of bed.'

Arthur appeared hesitant. At first she did not know why, but then she saw him look warily at his father and she understood. Apparently Arthur had still no faith in the king's promises. Alina did not know if she did have any faith in them, but she supposed that she had to talk to him anyway. She might as well do it now.

'I'll be fine, Arthur,' she said irritated.

'How can you know for sure?' he questioned.

'Arthur, I give you my word that no harm will come to her,' Uther promised. Alina had a feeling he too would have the chance to talk without Arthur around to snap at the king at every word he said.

Arthur's eyes narrowed.

Alina moaned. 'I will be _fine_, Arthur,' she repeated. 'In case you've forgotten, unlike you, I can actually look after myself.'

Did Uther just chuckle? Alina could not be sure. The king's face was as stoic as it was before when she looked at him, not the faintest hint of amusement to see. But she was almost positive.

Arthur was still not too enthusiastic about this idea. 'Gaius said he'd come check this morning…'

'I'll die of boredom long before that,' she threatened. 'Please go and get him?'

'You could get hurt.'

If she was allowed out of bed she would have kicked him out of the room by now. 'If anything is the matter, I'll contact you,' she promised, pointing at his head. 'Now, will you please just go?'

He finally got the message. 'Fine,' he snapped and then he marched out of the room.

There was silence for a little while. Neither of them knew exactly how to start. Alina looked at the blankets as if they were very interesting, trying her hardest to come up with something to start the conversation with.

Uther saved her the trouble. 'Why did you come back?' he asked softly.

She smiled as she remembered Arthur storming into the garden, demanding to speak with her. 'Arthur came for me,' she replied. 'Camelot was in danger and he hoped I could fix it.' She shrugged. 'I could not just sit by and do nothing.'

The king nodded, but said nothing.

She suddenly realised that she had no idea what Uther had been told about her. 'I do not know what you have been told about my background, my lord,' she said therefore.

'My council tells me you are from the future,' he replied. 'I have received a very detailed report of your story as you told it to them.'

Well, that saved her the trouble of explaining everything again. She had told the story so many times to so many people that she could literally dream it.

'Well, that makes it all a lot easier,' she said.

There was an awkward silence again.

'Why did you come back when Arthur asked you?' Uther asked.

Alina was surprised by the kind voice he used. What on earth had happened with the fearsome king? Had he died a silent death under the mandrake enchantment? It wasn't likely, but she could not come up with anything else that sounded probable.

She just was glad he did not sound so prejudiced anymore and so she opted on telling him the truth. Or part of the truth at least. 'What do you know about prophecies, my lord?' she inquired.

He frowned. 'Not much.'

'Did you hear prophecies of the Once and Future King?'

By the look in his eyes she would say that he had. 'What has that got to do with you?' he demanded. 'You are not a king.'

She chuckled. 'And thank goodness for that. No, the king spoken of in the prophecies is Arthur. Apparently I am meant to be at his side, to protect him from about every evil and dangerous things coming his way.'

Uther blinked a few times in surprise. Well, it was a lot to take in. Alina remembered she had been shouting at the dragon when she had first heard it. And she had not even told Uther all of it. She had left out the part that said that she could change legend completely and the part that said she was going to marry Arthur eventually. She would not want the king to suffer a heart attack.

Uther continued to stare at her, which felt more than a little uncomfortable.

'So, that's why I'm here basically. But if you want me to leave…,' she said hesitantly. He was still the king after all. Arthur could promise her safety all he wanted, but the decision making was no longer up to him. It was Uther's word that needed to be obeyed again. And he had never made a secret of how much he hated everyone like her.

His reply therefore took her completely by surprise. 'I want you to stay in Camelot.'

* * *

**Was that realistic enough? I am exploring Uther's motivations in more detail later, I promise. Anyway, let me know what you think. It's very much appreciated.**


	58. Chapter 58

**And here's the next chapter for you. You are all amazing readers and I want to thank you for still reading this.**

**Well, on to the chapter.**

**Chapter 58**

**Merlin**

'Could you please try to walk normally, Merlin?' Arthur asked in a very annoyed voice.

The result was absolutely non-existent. There was no way Merlin could keep himself from radiating pure happiness. Alina was allowed to stay. Uther had given her permission to remain in Camelot. Merlin did not just walk today, he bounced around. Gaius had even caught him humming, something he had not done in ages. It did not matter that Arthur said that it sounded horrible. Nothing could spoil his mood today.

Uther's change of heart had been a surprise for all of them. No one had really understood it and Merlin was no exception. That was, until he "accidentally" overheard a little conversation between Uther and Arthur. It turned out that the king had been more aware of what was going on than anyone would have expected. He knew Alina had destroyed the mandrake root, he knew that she had enchanted the castle.

Not that those things were enough to persuade him into believing that she was good, not at all. He had hated magic for decades, after all, and Uther was a stubborn man. No, the thing that had really changed his opinion about her was that she had used her magic to save him from one of those skeletons. She could have very easily said that she did not have enough time to cast a spell and Uther would have simply been a casualty of war. Instead she chose to remove the threat.

Merlin did not understand why Uther was so surprised. It wasn't the first time she removed threats, really. But after that conversation he understood the king a little better. In Uther's opinion that action was the one thing she did without having to be asked, out of her own free will. She had not needed encouragement to do the right thing and that had ultimately won Uther over.

And now everything was back to normal. Uther had immediately gone back to singing her praises, something that was bound to annoy Alina greatly. Merlin knew all too well how his best friend reacted to attention. He smirked. He knew she was not going to like today's celebration, at all.

'Why do I even bother to ask?' the prince muttered to himself, loud enough for Merlin to hear.

A massive grin split his face. 'You'd almost say that you weren't happy Alina's back,' he commented cheerfully.

'Perhaps I celebrate in a more suitable manner,' Arthur retorted.

'This is a suitable manner,' Merlin replied.

'Yes, for you.'

On days like this Merlin could truly enjoy the banter between them. He knew it was unwise to ask Arthur to explain himself, because the answer would probably be insulting. Today he did not care, however, so he asked. 'Why is it suitable for me?'

'Because you have the mind of a child,' Arthur said. Merlin could easily tell how pleased he was with himself.

'Well, I'm still more intelligent than you,' he said.

'Ha!' Arthur laughed. 'Keep on dreaming, Merlin.'

Merlin just grinned. Nothing, not even Morgana's betrayal, could ruin his mood now. The battle was won, Alina was home and everything was more or less back to normal. No, things were going to be better than normal. Merlin glanced down at the box he was holding. He could almost picture Alina's face as they would present her with it. He wondered if she would know what the gift meant.

'Shall I hold the box or do you think you will be able to restrain yourself?' Arthur informed in an amused voice.

Merlin did not bother to reply. They both knew he was perfectly capable of holding on to Alina's present. He would never do that.

Arthur knocked on the door of Alina's room. The king had definitely had a change of heart concerning his best friend. He had given the princess her old room back, had taken her in as his official ward, providing her with a social status equal to Morgana's and furthermore he had given her permission to practise her magic as she saw fit, as long as she solemnly swore only to use it for good. Alina had already sworn that oath before the last words had left the king's mouth.

For her sake Merlin was glad that she was finally appreciated here in Camelot. Some persons might get jealous of her, but not Merlin. She had earned all the recognition she now got, certainly after Camelot's latest crisis, and Merlin never liked to be in the middle of all the attention anyway. It was a good thing that one of them was still undercover, certainly now that Morgana had turned traitor. It would be impossible for Alina to sneak through corridors and listen in to conversations not meant for her ears. Merlin could still do that behind the scenes work.

'Come in,' Alina's voice called.

Arthur marched into the room, with Merlin following closely behind. The servant however hadn't noticed that Arthur skidded to a stop, so he literally crashed into his master's back, causing him to fall down on his face, while Merlin only just managed to keep his balance.

They were met by Alina's laughter. 'Now that is what I call a remarkable way to enter a room!' she remarked.

'It's not my fault that I have such a clumsy idiot for a servant,' Arthur defended himself.

'It's not my fault that I have such a dollophead for a master,' Merlin retorted.

Alina's mouth curled up. 'Honestly, Merlin? _Dollophead_?'

He shrugged. 'It's a fun word.'

'Yes, but what does it mean?'

He grinned even wider. 'Prince Arthur.'

'_Mer_lin!' Arthur exclaimed. He had gotten to his feet again, looking at a pile of books on Alina's desk and table. 'What's that?'

'That's a gift from your father,' she replied. 'The servants only delivered it an hour ago.'

Arthur frowned. 'He has never given me any books,' he said indignantly.

Alina's mischievous smile did not bode well. And indeed. 'That would be because he knows you never even read a book.'

'That's not true!' Arthur protested.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. 'Have you ever even been to the library?'

Arthur looked a little ashamed. 'No…'

'That proves my point.'

'That's because I have servants to fetch me my books.'

She moaned. 'You're so lazy!'

Arthur chose to be the bigger man for once and he ignored that. 'What kind of books are those?' he demanded. Or maybe he wasn't being the bigger man. Maybe he was just too curious about the books, Merlin reflected.

'They're books of magic,' she replied. 'Your father confiscated them during the Great Purge and kept them in the vaults below the castle. He has given them to me for my benefit.'

Merlin could hardly keep himself from drooling over the books. He had never seen so many books on magic in his life. And here he was thinking that he had gathered an impressive collection over the years. How wrong he had been.

_You wouldn't mind if I…?_ he thought at Alina.

She smiled. _Of course not, Merlin. You're welcome to read them whenever you want. _

_Oh, thank you, thank you!_

She gave a mental snort. _Honestly, Merlin, what else should I have said?_

'All these books are about magic?' Arthur asked in a disbelieving voice. 'God have mercy.'

'It's not like I am going to use these spells to harm you, Arthur,' she said. 'Don't look so terrified.'

'Though it would be funny if you turned him into a donkey or something,' Merlin suggested. He skilfully dodged the book that was thrown at his head by means of a reply.

'Oi, careful with my books, Arthur Pendragon!' Alina exclaimed angrily. 'Heaven knows that some of them are damaged enough as it is, I don't need you to disfigure them any further.' She eyed him warily. 'Why are the two of you here anyway?'

Arthur beckoned Merlin to come forward. 'We have a gift,' he announced.

Merlin handed the box to her. 'With the king's compliments,' he said.

'And mine,' Arthur quickly added.

'Now I am curious,' she said, lifting the lid of the box. She took out the beautiful dress it contained. It was a light blue dress with silver embroidery along the skirt and sleeves. 'Wow.'

'Do you like it?' Arthur asked.

She smiled. 'I'd be a fool if I didn't. But what's the occasion?'

'Told you she'd suspect something,' Merlin muttered under his breath.

'Shut up, Merlin.' Then he addressed Alina again. 'We were rather hoping you might wear it today.'

She eyed them both suspiciously. 'What aren't you telling me?' she demanded. 'It's some kind of special occasion, isn't it?'

_Oh yes_, Merlin thought.

'That might be,' Arthur said vaguely, avoiding her gaze.

'And I'm going to hate it,' she concluded.

_You most certainly are._

**Alina**

Alina couldn't stand surprises. She had never liked them. She preferred to know what was coming, something the guys knew all too well. And they enjoyed every minute of this.

But Alina wasn't completely backwards. She had soon discovered that there was some kind of celebration going to happen, because of them winning the battle. This was, however, not all there was to it. Arthur and Merlin would never be so secretive if it was only a victory celebration. Somehow she had the idea she would end up getting lots of very unwanted attention.

'I suppose it is no use asking what's going to happen today, is it?' she tried as she walked down to the throne room with Arthur. Merlin had disappeared, because of some last-minute arrangements that needed to be made.

He smirked. 'Not going to happen.'

'Dollophead.'

'Ugh, not you as well!' he complained.

She shrugged. 'Why not? I like the word.'

'I suppose it's better than clotpole,' he muttered, causing her to laugh.

'It's really good to be back,' she said, meaning every word. Now that the danger was gone, she could truly enjoy the fact of being back, being home again. Here, in Camelot and at Arthur's side, she felt whole once again. She guessed the last time she had felt like that was before her entire world had come crumbling down.

'Are you not going to miss your home again?' Arthur wondered.

'It's not my home,' she explained. 'And of course I'll miss my family, but it's not as if I can't visit them, you know. My life is now officially perfect.' She smiled, because it truly was complete and good. This was where she was meant to be after all.

He shook his head. 'It's going to be better.'

'This has something to do with whatever is going to happen in the throne room?' she questioned.

He shrugged. 'Maybe.'

'Hmm, then my perfect life is probably going to turn into a nightmare,' she commented. 'I knew it was too good to last.'

He stared at her in shock. 'How can you say that?! You know my father isn't going to harm you!'

'I beg to differ,' she said in a serious voice, before offering him a sweet smile. 'You know how much I hate attention.'

'Really, Alina, that's just exaggerating.'

'Pot calling kettle black,' she muttered under her breath.

He put his arm around her shoulder. 'You'll live through it.'

'I never doubted that.'

They walked into the room, where all the court had been assembled. Uther was standing on the dais in front of his throne. Merlin stood somewhere aside, holding another box and smiling widely as he caught sight of them. All the other nobles were standing before the dais, keeping themselves busy by talking while they waited.

Alina saw Lord Harold among them, looking angry enough to make milk turn sour.

'My biggest fan is very much enjoying this,' she observed.

Arthur knew immediately who she was talking about, as she had dubbed Harold _my biggest fan_ long before she had to run for her life. 'Ignore him, he's an idiot.'

'I couldn't agree more.'

The last people arrived and Uther began to speech. 'In my time, we've won many battles, but none so important as this. Every man, every woman and child has performed their heroic best, and I thank you, and I salute you all,' he said. These words were met by the nodding of every head in the court.

_Hypocrites!_ Alina thought furiously. _Most of them have been cowering behind the thickest walls they were able to find while the battle was raging on._

_Not all of them_, came Arthur's calm reply.

She looked up in mild surprise. She hadn't realised she had directed her thoughts to him. Now there was a first. _I know that,_ she said. _But most of them were hiding and now they act like they have every right to the credit. It just doesn't seem fair._

Arthur nodded. _Life isn't fair._

_Tell me all about it_, she thought back sarcastically.

Uther continued his speech. 'Even before the battle, we knew there was a traitor in our midst, one who was almost the undoing of us,' he said. 'However, we have to thank the one person who outwitted them, and who, almost singlehandedly, turned the tide of the battle…'

_Please, don't let this be what I think it will be_, she prayed silently.

'The Lady Morgana,' Uther said, beckoning Morgana to join him on the dais.

People applauded loudly for her and Alina forced herself to join in, even though she was in no mood to applaud for the evil witch her friend had become. Oh yes, she had almost singlehandedly turned the tide of the battle, albeit not in the way Uther believed she had. She had almost caused everyone's death, had it not been for Merlin.

She forced herself to smile politely as Uther described Morgana's so-called heroic behaviour. 'For it was she who bravely entered the vault, found the magical vessel, and destroyed it. We must be vigilant! We must stand firm against the forces of dark magic, and ensure that they never penetrate our walls again,' he concluded the speech. Alina noticed that he laid the emphasis on the forces of dark magic, thus implying that there was also good magic. Her forced smile turned into a real one.

Her attention turned towards Arthur, who was looking a little confused by now.

'What's wrong?' she whispered.

'I thought you said it was Merlin who had destroyed the source of the enchantment?' he said.

'So I said,' she agreed. The real Arthur truly was a lot more observant than the one in the series, she reflected, but she was not sure that it was a good thing in this particular situation. She needed to figure out what she had to do about Morgana for herself first before she could decide if she wanted Arthur involved in this.

'Then why…?' he asked in a confused voice.

'Later,' she promised.

Uther had not finished speaking. 'There is of course someone else who has to be named in the light of the recent events,' he went on. 'This particular person has done more than anyone else in Camelot. I am of course speaking of the Lady Alina.'

_I _knew_ it!_ Alina thought furiously. _I knew you were up to something!_

Arthur merely grinned and pulled her with him to the dais. _Deal with it_, he told her.

So she forced her face back into a smile as she was presented to the court. Uther held her hand and smiled. 'We owe you so much, my lady,' he said in a soft voice, before continuing the speech. 'Even though she was once persecuted for practising magic, she came back when we needed her most. She broke the enchantment that was hanging over Camelot, strengthened our defences and fought more bravely than any other knight when the battle was finally there. She used her magic to protect Camelot, even though she knew it could get her killed, thus proving beyond all doubt that she is on our side.'

_Someone has still not grown tired of singing my praises_, she observed.

_Come on, Alina, don't tell me you don't like this!_ Arthur pressed.

_I don't_, she told him.

_Not even a little bit?_

_Not even a little bit._

The nobles in the room where finally done applauding for her so-called bravery and heroism and Uther could continue his speech. 'It is therefore my greatest pleasure to announce a new position in the court. The Lady Alina will be appointed Court Sorceress to help protect the kingdom from any evil that may plague it.'

As the court erupted once again in applause Alina's jaw dropped. This could not be true. This was one very bad joke.

But her denial was short-lived, because Merlin was smiling widely at her, Arthur grinned and congratulated her and Uther pulled her in for an embrace and even thanked her for all that she had done, while she was still speechless.

Well, not entirely speechless. After a few seconds she had recovered enough to start shouting. Mentally. At Arthur. _You knew all this!_ she accused him.

_Of course I did, he replied_, sounding very pleased with himself.

_But I don't deserve this!_ Alina shouted. _You know it. This is not how it's supposed to be! I'm completely screwing up legend! It's Merlin who is meant to be in this position, not me!_

_Calm down_, he ordered. _Merlin is perfectly okay with this._

_He shouldn't be_, she stated.

_But he is. Deal with it. And besides, I thought you said you wanted to change legend?_

_Change it, yes,_ she agreed. _I didn't plan on screwing it up. And stop copying my lines. It's getting annoying._

_Well, this is the way it is. You might as well make the most of it,_ Arthur pointed out. He really like this a bit too much.

She grimaced. _You kind of force me to make the most of this._

_I know_, he said.

She returned her attention to the matter at hand, forcing herself to take deep breaths and to not show any of her surprise and reluctance. 'Thank you, my lord,' she made herself say. 'You do me a great honour.'

'The pleasure is all mine,' he assured her. 'If you accept the position of course.'

'I will, my lord,' she replied. _There you go, girl. No way back now anymore._

The rest of the ceremony went by in a haze. Alina's brain was still too preoccupied trying to process all the changes in her life to really pay attention. She made a solemn vow to protect Camelot to the best of her ability, using her magic only for the good of the kingdom. After that she was presented with a tiara, coming out of the box in Merlin's hands.

The hall once again exploded with the sound of applause and cheering, that of the knights was by far the loudest, as Uther placed the tiara on her head and pronounced her the Court Sorceress from that moment forth.

The ordeal was over, she told herself as the official part was over. There was still a feast to celebrate the victory, but she had attended so many feasts in the past that she could easily get herself through that. She simply chatted with the nobles and knights and just had a good time as she caught up with her old friends. She was a little surprised that she was actually enjoying herself.

The feast was long done, but the people were still lingering around when she saw Morgana leave. Alina apologized to her friends and discretely went after the young witch, catching up to her three corridors further.

'Morgana, wait a minute!' she called out.

The king's ward stopped and turned around. 'Alina,' she acknowledged. 'What do you want?' The cool tone in her voice was unmistakable, and also kind of understandable. After all Merlin and Alina had made sure that her plan to take over Camelot had failed spectacularly.

'I promised we would catch up after the battle, did I not?' she asked innocently.

'I don't feel like it,' Morgana told her, her voice openly hostile now.

But Alina was not planning to let this go. She grabbed Morgana's wrist and escorted her to an abandoned room. 'It wasn't a request,' she said.

**Tomorrow, a little chat with a certain witch… In the meantime, let me know what you think and have a wonderful day.**


	59. Chapter 59

**And here's the next chapter. I'm playing around with Morgana's POV in the last part of the chapter. Tell me if you like it, please. If you do, I might do more of it.**

**Enjoy and have a wonderful day.**

* * *

**Chapter 59**

**Arthur**

Arthur had a bad feeling about all of this. Alina hadn't been herself today at the ceremony. He knew her long enough to know. Oh, she smiled and applauded when Morgana was presented to the court, but there was a look in her eyes that told him there was something off about all of this.

At first he had trouble understanding what it was that was wrong about this, but then he remembered Alina saying that Merlin had destroyed the magical vessel. She had not mentioned Morgana being there with him. Therefore he had asked Alina again. After all, she could have simply forgotten to tell him, but she had once again said that Merlin had been the one to deal with the army of the dead, which would make Morgana a liar.

He had not paid it too much mind at the time, because of Alina's promotion to Court Sorceress directly after, but at dinner he had once again started thinking. He did not doubt Merlin and Alina had spoken the truth, so that left the question of why Morgana would lie about her role in all this. Why claim the glory for something you didn't do, for something you weren't even near at the time it happened?

He stopped there and then as a rather alarming thought entered his mind. What if Morgana was there? Alina had mentioned that Merlin was fighting the traitor…

No, that could not be true. But now that he had thought it, there was no escaping it. The evidence started to pile up in his mind. The rather cool way both Merlin and Alina had treated their former friend since she had returned, Alina mentioning that the traitor was someone she knew rather well, her hopes for changing the traitor's fate. She must have been real close to this person. She had been very close to Morgana. And then the last piece of the puzzle fell into place. Morgause had been behind the entire attack and Morgana had been abducted by that witch. What if they had grown close, what if Morgana had joined her in her fight?

Ugh, it was all so terribly obvious now that he really started to think it over. Morgana had never been his father's biggest fan, even hating him on occasion. He had never believed she would act on that anger, but if she had magic, as the appearance of the skeleton army seemed to suggest, there was really no telling what she would or would not do. She was nothing like Merlin or Alina, after all.

And it hurt. It hurt so much that he could hardly breathe. And now he knew why Alina had been rather vague about the traitor's identity. Not only was she hoping to fix this, she also wanted to save all of them the pain of simply knowing. Arthur started wishing he hadn't been so curious.

But how could she do this? How could she? They had known each other for years. Why would she turn against everyone she knew and loved? Why would such a sensible young woman ever want to cooperate with Morgause? The answer was whispered by a voice somewhere in the back. _Because she has magic…_

He was distracted from his thoughts as he saw Morgana leave the room. Alina had seen this, too. She excused herself and went after the king's ward.

'Alina, what are you doing?' he muttered under his breath. Well, he wasn't going to let her walk into a potentially dangerous situation on her own, so he got up and went after her, breaking into a run as soon as he was alone, moving almost soundlessly.

He did not have to search long. He caught up to them within two minutes.

'Morgana, wait a minute!' he heard Alina call.

The tone in Morgana's voice as she replied shocked Arthur. He had never heard her sound so… so cold. 'Alina. What do you want?' she demanded.

Arthur wondered briefly how it was possible for her to become like this. How come he had never noticed until now? But then, he had noticed, he realised. He had just never given it too much thought, as he simply put it down to a bad temper.

It had begun after Alina's disappearance, he reflected. Morgana would be unsocial and taciturn, eyeing all of them, but mostly Uther, with suspicion and dislike, keeping her distance from them. He had noticed, but he had never thought about what it meant and after her disappearance he had banished it from his mind altogether. The only thing that mattered then was that they found her again.

Alina's voice was kind as she replied. 'I promised we would catch up after the battle, did I not?'

'I don't feel like it,' Morgana said, a clear dismissal.

Arthur risked it to peek around the corner. He could see the two standing about ten meters away from him. Alina grabbed Morgana's wrist. 'It wasn't a request,' she said icily, dragging Morgana with her into an empty room.

Arthur moaned. Did Alina have no sense of self-preservation? What was she thinking? If he was right, if Morgana had magic, this would be the last thing he would be doing. Of course Alina had to be as reckless as Merlin.

He walked into the corridor and found himself a good spot. There was a small window in the wall, used to let some fresh air into the room. Arthur had to stand on a small cupboard to reach it, but then he had a good view of the room. He only prayed no one would walk past here and wonder why on earth he was standing here like this. now that would damage his reputation.

Inside the room Alina had let go of Morgana's arm, locking the door with a spell.

'What are you doing?' Morgana demanded furiously.

Alina did not seem bothered by that tone in the slightest. 'I would have thought it would be obvious,' she said calmly. 'I think it is time you explained your behaviour.'

Morgana folded her arms over her chest. 'That is none of your business.'

'I am Court Sorceress now. I think you'll find that is my business,' she pointed out. 'I swore an oath to keep Camelot safe from danger, remember? You are jeopardizing that safety, therefore it is my duty to stop it.'

'I have no idea what you are talking about,' Morgana insisted.

Arthur saw his fiancée's face darken in anger. 'Cut it with the lies, Morgana!' she snapped. 'Don't you understand? I _know_. I know everything you have been doing.'

Of course, legend, Arthur understood. Morgana did not understand. She blinked a few times, looking confused.

'I am from the future. I know everything that has happened here and is going to happen,' Alina went on. 'I know of your betrayal.'

Now Morgana's face darkened. 'You know nothing!' she yelled. 'You know nothing about me! You have no idea what I have been through!'

'Don't be pathetic,' Alina said dismissively. 'You discovered you had magic in a kingdom where magic is forbidden, you got scared and decided that the attack is the best defence, after which you sided with Morgause, causing all of this to happen.'

'Don't you dare blame me for what happened to me! I didn't chose to become like this. Merlin made me into it! If you want to blame someone, blame that so-called friend of yours! That is, if he doesn't poison you first,' she added with a sneer.

She had lost him now. What did Merlin have to do with this? What did Merlin using poison have to do with this? Merlin would never poison his friends now, would he?

'That's a very bad excuse,' Alina said, still not looking alarmed. 'You can't blame others for your own choices. You yourself are responsible for the choices you make. And if you had not chosen to help Morgause in the first place, Merlin would not have been forced into poisoning you.'

What on earth were they talking about? Arthur almost died of frustration.

'He shouldn't have!' Morgana shouted.

Alina shrugged. 'What would you have wanted him to do then, Morgana?'

'He could have let Morgause win,' she said. 'She is fighting for a better world for all of us.'

'Whereas Merlin and me are trying to stop your brave new world from coming true?' Alina wondered sarcastically. 'Listen to me, Morgana, and listen carefully. If Morgause and her bloody undead knights would have won that day, Arthur and Uther would both have been killed and then where would we be now, eh?'

Were they discussing Morgana's abduction and the knights of Medhir? Arthur almost thought so. And it was true that Morgana had been unconscious when Morgause had taken her. Arthur had always believed that was because she had fallen victim to the sleeping disease as well, but what if it had been because she had been poisoned? But the question remained: why would Merlin do such a thing? It made no sense.

'Then people like you and me would be able to live in freedom,' Morgana replied. Arthur could hear that she meant every word. 'We would not be hunted like animals just because of who we are!'

'You know full well that is not what would have happened,' Alina said. 'Morgause would have unleashed a reign of magical terror. I find it hard to believe that is what you would have wanted.'

'That's not true!'

'Of course it is true,' Alina disagreed. 'Why else would she have secured the help of someone as bloodthirsty as Cenred? And you, what happened to you, Morgana, that it is all of a sudden okay that innocent women and children are dying? You have become worse than the man you fear!' Arthur could hear the clear disgust in his fiancée's voice.

'Don't you dare compare me with Uther!' Morgana exploded.

'I won't,' Alina stated icily. 'He is a much better person than you, even though you are very much alike in many ways. But at least Uther has some sense of justice, of good and evil. You obviously have none.'

'That's not true!' Morgana yelled again. 'You're a sorceress, too, Alina! You of all people should understand why I am doing what I am doing. You should join me!'

'I will do no such thing,' Alina told her immediately. Not a moment's hesitation. Arthur did not know what he had done to deserve all that loyalty. He was simply grateful for it. 'It is my destiny to protect Arthur. I won't betray him, ever.'

'That's ridiculous. His views on magic will never change,' Morgana said, sounding almost bitter. 'And neither will Uther's. You may be Court Sorceress now, but don't even dare to believe that you will ever be fully accepted. Not by these people.'

Alina laughed. 'Whereas Morgause will welcome me with open arms after what I did at the battle? I don't believe so. That was me proclaiming my loyalties and they are not with the likes of Morgause.'

'Then you are a fool,' Morgana scowled. 'You can't hope to be an accepted member of court. People will always look at you with suspicion.'

Alina smiled. 'I most certainly am no fool. And I think you must have had your eyes closed at the ceremony this afternoon. The views on magic are already changing. Arthur has fully accepted me, as have some of the nobles. Uther trusts me enough to make me a permanent council member. People here are starting to realise that magic could be used for good, so I kindly ask you to stop this nonsense business immediately. Quite frankly, your petty revenge is in my way.'

Arthur already knew that Alina was a force to be reckoned with, especially when she was angry. Here she was, simply demanding that Morgana stopped her betrayal, not taking no for an answer.

'How on earth am I in your way, Alina?' Morgana demanded. 'I am fighting for the same thing as you are!'

'I beg to differ.'

Arthur had an uneasy feeling, because he knew that when it really came to it, the two women did want the same thing: a Camelot where they would be accepted for what they were, where they could live in peace, without fear for persecution.

What did make them different from one another was the way they attempted to achieve that goal. Morgana had turned to the darkness to help her in overthrowing a regime that she believed to be unjust. Alina had never abandoned the light. Unlike Morgana she had chosen a more difficult path, working behind the scenes to change things slowly, risking her life by doing so. Alina and Morgana were as different as day and night, he reflected.

'So, you don't want to be free?' Morgana questioned. 'Don't you want to be just who you are, without having to be afraid?'

'Of course,' Alina replied. 'But don't you see, Morgana? Don't you see that the change you want is already happening? I am appointed Court Sorceress. Do you honestly believe that would have happened if Uther wasn't seriously considering that magic can be used for good?'

Morgana snorted. 'He doesn't deserve to be king in the first place. What he's doing now is too little, and far too late. Good heavens, that man doesn't even deserve to live!'

In one second Arthur saw the expression on his fiancée's face change from patient and calm to something far more terrifying than her run-and-hide look. There was only ice-cold disapproval on her face, almost hatred, but not quite. 'Watch your tongue,' she warned her former friend. 'This is treason you speak.'

'Don't you understand, I don't care!' Morgana yelled. 'And why am I even listening to you? You are even worse than him! You betrayed your own kind by siding with Uther! And I'll make you pay for that!'

'Enough!' Alina bellowed.

Arthur suspected she combined it with some kind of silencing spell, because Morgana was quiet immediately. Normally it took a whole lot more to get her to shut up, as Arthur knew all too well. _She really does know some interesting tricks,_ the prince thought with a mischievous smile. _I bet she could make Lord Harold shut his mouth just as easily. _He enjoyed that mental picture a little too much, perhaps.

'I know you are angry with Uther,' Alina continued. 'And I do not even deny that you have some reason for that. But I am asking you not to act on that anger all the same.'

'Why on earth would I not do that? Give me one good reason why I should not kill that man at once!'

Ah, Arthur had already feared that it would come to that. And there was absolutely nothing he could say in his father's defence, so he doubted Alina would be able to do that. The fact were undeniable, after all. Uther had treated people with magic worse than one treated dogs. He had hunted them down and killed them, often without as much as a fair trial. And some of them, God have mercy, were children. No, Morgana was right to hate Uther the way she did, he realised. Now that was a very unwelcome conclusion.

Surely not even Alina could reason this away. If she had any sense of logic, she would have to admit that Morgana was right.

'Because I cannot allow you to go down this path you have chosen for yourself,' Alina said, without as much as a moment's thought. 'I know what this decision will bring you. I know every single plan that you still have to come up with, and they will all fail, Morgana. None of them will actually succeed. And you will lose everything and everyone you love. In the end you will be robbed of your sister, your allies and every last friend you have on this earth. You will be left with nothing. And I cannot allow destiny to be thus thwarted.'

Of all the things Arthur had expected her to say, this had been the very least. His jaw dropped as he realised what she had just said.

**Morgana**

Morgana did not know what to say or think after that speech. She just stood there, trying in vain to grasp the full meaning of Alina's words and how they would affect her life. Destiny, the other woman had said. What on earth could she have meant by _that_? Was it the truth she spoke, or was it just a trick to keep her away from her precious Arthur?

She eyed her former friend with outright suspicion. Her face was completely unreadable as she looked back at Morgana, once again calm and firmly in control of her emotions.

The Lady Alina was a mystery. She had been a mystery from the moment she had told Morgana that she possessed magic too. Alina had been a living contradiction. Was it even possible for a sorceress to actually practise magic to protect a kingdom where that art was punishable by death, Morgana had wondered more than once. Alina obviously asked no such questions, but deep down the king's ward knew that everything Alina did was to help and protect Arthur, whom she loved greatly. The princess had told her once that she believed that things would be better when Arthur became king, and Morgana had shared that hope.

Reality had caught up with them when the Witchfinder came to Camelot. The suspicion, the interrogations and ultimately Alina's exposure, all those things had woken Morgana up rather roughly. For the first time she truly realised how dangerous it was to have magic, especially when you were close to the royal family. In the months following Alina's escape, she had woken up screaming more than once, seeing visions of herself tied to a burning pyre, with Uther watching in enjoyment. She had grown more afraid with every passing day, until she thought she was going to suffocate under the weight of her own fear.

And then Morgause had walked straight into her life, offering friendship and acceptance. Morgana almost literally jumped at the opportunity. She was so tired of being alone and Morgause's arrival had been like a gift from heaven. Morgause made her realise that she did not have to be alone, that there was no reason for her to hide away in fear from Uther, not when there was a possibility for her to do something about his ridiculous and unfair reign.

That realisation, that she did not need to be helpless in the face of his endless injustice, had turned her fear to anger, her anger to hatred and, especially after Merlin's betrayal, she had willingly severed all ties to Camelot and the Pendragons, a decision she had not regretted, not once.

In that year spent with Morgause she had come to understand how insane and irrational Alina's behaviour had been and how natural and logical Morgause's was. Alina had tried to achieve the impossible and a lot of good it did her, Morgana had thought bitterly. No, it was not only more rational, but also safer to side with Morgause. Besides, any sorcerer in his senses should strive towards Uther's downfall. Heaven knew he deserved it.

And so she had come back to Camelot, fully prepared to do whatever it took to overthrow the tyrannical Pendragon's cruel regime. Maybe she could even take her revenge for all the horrors he had done to her first magical friend, she had thought. And if that was done, if they could find her, Morgana would ask her to return.

The plan to put an end to Uther had been perfect, infallible even. That was, until Alina suddenly turned up and then she learned that her return was nothing like she had expected it to be.

By the time she had learned of the sorceress's arrival, the mandrake root had already been destroyed and by the time Morgana had come down to the council chambers Alina had already won back the trust of the most important knights and nobles. It was too late to do anything then, even if she had known what to do, and she most certainly didn't.

So she followed Alina around for the next couple of days. It soon became clear that the princess had not changed her attitude towards Camelot one bit. Quite the contrary, now that she had carte blanche, she was allowed to practise her magic more openly, which made her capable of protecting Camelot more effectively than she had before she was exiled.

Morgana had tried to talk to her, but she had sensed that Alina had kept her distance, almost as if she was suspecting her. Surely Merlin would not have dared to tell her…? It was only two days later that she learned that Alina already knew everything, because she had lived in the twenty-first century, where everything that happened here was apparently a famous legend.

That made her careful. It would not do to get exposed now. So she simply watched Alina as she cast protective spells on the castle, planned the battle strategy with the council and looked after the weakened king, all the while thinking about what she had to do about this unexpected situation. And her behaviour had completely stunned her once again. She had come to that conclusion as she watched from the shadows how Alina had sung a lullaby for Uther to help him sleep. How could she feel such compassion for such a tyrant, especially a tyrant that had sentenced her to die at the stake! How many people would actually help such a man?

She had quickly put that kind of questions from her mind as she saw that Alina was planning on doing a whole lot more than just cast some spells and care for the king. Those actions had been alarming in and out of itself, but her next actions were nothing short of threatening. She wasn't doing mere tricks, she was doing very powerful magic to defend Camelot.

And defended it she had. She had fought more fiercely than a lioness protecting her cubs. Before that, Morgana had been utterly confused. After that, Morgana hated her, hated her for the betrayal to her own kind. How could she stand and defend the man who had sworn to kill her? How could she?!

And now she had been made Court Sorceress and Morgana's hatred had been further fuelled by jealousy. Uther had accepted Alina, a foreign princess, for what she was, had even rewarded her for it, while Morgana, whom he had known since she was a baby, had been largely ignored. Even though she wanted nothing to do with him anymore, that stung.

So now here they stood, glaring at each other, and Alina had the guts to tell her what she could and could not do, because of some stupid _destiny_? Was Camelot's new Court Sorceress really so stupid as to think that she would believe a word of that speech?

'Destiny?' she said dismissively.

Alina's clear blue eyes looked at her so seriously as she had only ever done when something was terribly wrong and that stopped her for a moment. In the past she had only ever looked at her like this before she confided in her with something very important. It reminded her of Merlin.

'How familiar are you with the prophecies concerning the Once and Future King?' the princess asked calmly. The witch noticed that the anger that had been there before, had almost completely gone. Now why would that be?

For the sake of their old friendship Morgana decided that she would at least hear her out. There was, after all, no harm in that. She could always ignore her if it didn't suit her. So she stored away her anger for later. Somehow she felt that this was no joke or trick, so she answered the question truthfully. 'I have never even heard of them,' she said. 'Should I have?'

Alina sighed. 'It would explain why you are acting the way you do,' she replied. 'But I think you should be told, and so should your sister.' Morgana didn't even bother to ask how she knew that Morgause and her were related. She supposed that was just knowledge she had from her legend.

She frowned at the other part of the speech, however. 'How could this prophecy possibly affect me?' she demanded.

'I think it will help you, and Morgause for that matter, to reconsider what you are doing,' Alina said. 'I don't think you will be so eager to carry on as you are doing now once you know what it is you are actually fighting against.' The Court Sorceress looked her right in the eyes again. 'Do you think you can arrange a meeting with your sister, Morgana?'

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**I hope I did Morgana well enough. Let me know if it was good, please.**


	60. Chapter 60

**Hello everyone. Here's chapter 60 for you. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 60**

**Alina**

Alina was going through the books Uther had given her. She was still thoroughly impressed by the amount of magical knowledge that had been locked away in Camelot's vaults. She would have thought Uther would have burned every book of magic that he could get his hands on. Well, not that he heard her complain.

Some of these books were very badly damaged. Apparently no one had told Uther that keeping books in cold, wet places for over twenty years was not the best way to preserve them. A few books she could probably repair magically, but others were damaged beyond repair. They would have to be copied as soon as possible, before they would fall apart completely. Some of the pages had already begun to crumble.

She was pondering all this when the door was thrown open wide and a visitor came bursting in.

'Really, Merlin, is it _that_ hard just to knock?' she sighed, not even turning around to see who it was that had entered her room. After all, there was only one person alive who came in like this.

'Are you out of your mind?' an angry voice demanded.

Oh, that most certainly wasn't Merlin. She turned around to face Arthur instead. 'Merlin is rubbing off badly on you,' she observed. 'What on earth is wrong with knocking, Arthur?'

He ignored that. 'Are you out of your mind?' he repeated.

She could not think of something that could have made him so angry. As far as she knew she had said and done no embarrassing things during the celebrations. She went over it again in her head, but could not come up with something that justified this question.

'Not that I know of,' she joked, before getting serious again. 'Now what on earth is the matter with you? You look like you've seen a ghost!' That was all too true. The prince's face looked horror-struck and as pale as a sheet. But she could tell, by both the connection and the look in his eyes, that he was also furious.

'You. Are. Going. To. Talk. With. _Her_?' he managed to get out. The words sounded a bit strained, but that could have something to do with the fact that he had his teeth grinded.

Alina frowned. There was no way he could have known about this, unless… 'Have you been eavesdropping, Arthur Pendragon?' she questioned angrily.

'You were walking into a dangerous situation!' he defended himself. 'What was I supposed to do? Sit back and do nothing?'

'That would have been nice, yes!' Alina retorted. Good heavens, she didn't even know yet if she wanted him involved in all this. But of course Arthur, being Arthur, had to get himself involved. And now that made her think of something. How had he known that talking to Morgana might not be so risk-free? She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. 'Wait a minute! How did you know the situation might be dangerous?'

He had at least the decency to look a little ashamed. 'I… I eh, I followed you.'

It was nothing like Arthur to stammer his way through such a simple sentence and she could hear and feel that he was holding out on her. Sometimes this connection came in really handy. 'I was getting that impression already,' she told him. 'But why did you follow me? Surely there was no reason for you to think I was in danger?'

That caused him to look her in the eyes. 'You were going to talk to a traitor, on your own, and I am not allowed to be a little concerned about you?'

She gave up. There was no way to keep him out of this anymore, not with everything he had already discovered. 'Fine,' she snapped, still not happy with the situation. 'How did you know?'

'It was because of you, really. You said that Merlin had defeated the undead army and then all of a sudden Morgana got the glory for that. Something wasn't right about that,' he explained. 'The Morgana that I knew would never claim the credit for something she did not do. And then I remembered you saying that Merlin had been fighting the traitor.' He shrugged. 'I was just putting two and two together.'

She smiled. 'Sometimes you are so much smarter than I give you credit for.'

'What's that supposed to mean?' Arthur said angrily.

'On second thought…,' she muttered, before quickly continuing: 'I guess there is no way I can persuade you to stay out of this whole nasty business?'

He snorted. 'You plan on talking to an evil witch who has made it her life's work to destroy Camelot on your own and you think that I am going to let you? Honestly, Alina, here was I thinking you were smart!'

'I am perfectly capable of defending myself against anything Morgause might throw my way, thank you very much,' she replied indignantly.

'It isn't just Morgause, though, is it?' he said softly. 'It's Morgana as well.'

She forgot all about her anger immediately as she heard the sadness in his voice. It must be hard on him to discover that one of his closest friends had turned to the dark side. And if he heard everything Morgana and her had been discussing… Well, she could understand that was a lot to take in.

'Oh, Arthur, I am so sorry,' she said.

'It's not your fault, is it? After all, you warned us to keep Morgause away from her. It was us that did not listen.'

'And I was just giving that warning as a precaution,' she gave back. 'I thought I had already changed her fate. Before I left she was thinking of ways how she could use her magic to help Camelot! If I had known she would use it to bring down the kingdom, I would have taught her nothing.'

Arthur stared at her for a few seconds. 'The Great Dragon,' he said.

'What has he got to do with any of this?'

'He said that without you all of your changes would be undone over time.'

That particular piece of information she had not yet heard and she was not surprised either. There was a reason that the dragon had withheld it. Had she known, she would never have left.

'That bloody beast,' she muttered under her breath. 'Now I'll really go and kill him next time I see him.'

Arthur frowned. 'That might prove to be difficult, because I killed him about a year ago.'

Alina bit her lip. 'Ah, well, about that…'

She was saved from having to kill Arthur's ego by Merlin, who came bursting into the room. 'Where are you?' he yelled at Arthur. 'I couldn't find you anywhere and you said to meet you in your chambers…'

'Did I?' Arthur said.

'He got side-tracked,' Alina explained helpfully. 'He overheard me talking to Morgana and he's a little pissed.'

'Why's that?' Merlin said.

'Well, he may have heard the part where I said I wanted to talk to Morgause and her about certain prophecies.'

'You… _what_?'

Arthur sighed in relief. 'I am glad we are in agreement over this one, Merlin, as much as it pains me to say it.'

'You can't go walking in there on your own!' Merlin exclaimed.

'You shouldn't walk in there at all,' Arthur stated.

Alina mentally groaned. Did these two not understand the importance of talking to Morgause? Surely they were not _that_ stupid? 'That's not possible,' she told them. 'This might be the only chance I am ever going to get to change things before they get too far out of control. I _have_ to try it.' She almost begged them to understand.

Merlin pondered this for a moment. She was glad to see that he realised that she was right. 'I know,' he said.

'What?' Arthur yelled.

'But you're not going alone,' Merlin finished.

Arthur's face brightened up. Alina guessed he had understood what this meant, but that he was just very reluctant to let her go. When had he become so overprotective, she wondered.

'That's actually not a totally stupid idea,' he said. 'We're going with you.'

'Absolutely not,' Alina replied icily.

'Why not?' he demanded. 'Heaven knows you need the help.'

Why did she even have to explain this? Surely they had a brain of their own? 'If Merlin went with me, I'd blow his cover. Morgana wants him dead already. We don't need to give her another excuse to really kill him. As for you, do you honestly think I am letting the Once and Future King walk straight into Morgause's hands?'

'Well, you can't go alone,' both men insisted. They shot each other weird looks as they realised they had said the same thing at exactly the same time. Alina chuckled.

This was going to get slightly problematic. She could tell that the guys were not going to stop protesting until she had at least accepted some kind of protection. Now of course she could simply use her magic to knock the two of them out before she left, but they would not thank her for that and she could hardly blame them. After all, she had been furious that one time that Merlin had done it to her. But what other options were there?

It struck her then. Of course, so simple and yet so brilliant. 'Stop your nagging,' she told them. 'I'm not even planning on going alone.'

That earned her blank faces from both prince and servant. She almost chuckled again.

'Then why didn't you say so immediately?' Arthur questioned, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

She shrugged. 'There was this arrogant prince, you see, and he kept shouting, so I couldn't find the time to inform you of my plans.'

Merlin tried in vain to make his laughter sound like a cough. Arthur just glared, but was determined to show that he could, in fact, keep quiet, so he didn't say a word.

'Who is going with you, then?' Merlin asked.

'I thought our mutual friend might be a safe choice,' she said. 'After all, he can explain the prophecies better than I can. I'm sure you can persuade him into cooperating with me, Merlin.'

For a moment there was complete and utter silence and Alina realised she may have said just a little too much. Arthur's jaw had dropped and he stared at her and then at Merlin, unable to find the words to react.

'Oops,' she said softly.

_Thanks, Alina_, Merlin thought angrily at her. _Now you have thrown me to the wolves! _

'Now wait a minute!' Arthur bellowed. 'What is the meaning of this? I thought the dragon was dead?'

Alina frowned. What exactly was going on here? With Arthur knowing about Merlin's magic, she had expected that he had told Merlin by now, so that Merlin could be more open about his activities. But clearly, she had been mistaken. How could she not have noticed this before?

When no one answered, Arthur turned to Merlin. 'I thought you told me that I killed him?' he yelled.

Merlin looked at his boots, 'I may have been not completely honest with you,' he muttered.

Arthur's expression promised the young warlock a slow and painful death. 'And why is that, I wonder.'

'I… ehm…'

Alina decided to interfere. This whole situation was getting beyond ridiculous. 'Merlin, would it help to know that Arthur already knows about your magic?'

Merlin's head snapped up. '_What_?'

She snorted. 'Honestly, Arthur, I thought you'd have told him by now,' she said in a voice as disapproving as she could manage.

He at least had the decency to look ashamed.

Merlin's jaw had dropped. 'He already knows?!' he yelled.

**Merlin**

Merlin could not believe what he heard. Arthur already knew about his magic and the way Alina talked about it suggested that he had learned about it before Alina had left. That meant that he had known for well over two years now.

He thought about it a little more. He could not understand Arthur had never told him before now. It would have made all the difference in the world if he would not have needed to be so careful around Arthur. He could have told him about Freya, about his father…

He tried not to dwell too much on that train of thought. It would not do to burst into crying right now. Arthur was already looking like he had seen a ghost, his natural reaction to too many surprises, Merlin had noticed. So he settled on anger instead.

'You _knew_?!' he repeated, his voice rising in anger. 'You knew and you never told me?'

Arthur mumbled something that sounded like: 'Never was the right moment.' Clearly the prince wasn't comfortable with being forced in the defence, so he spoke up, looking warily at Merlin. 'But enough of that. What's this nonsense about this dragon being alive? And what does Alina mean when she says that you can get him to cooperate?'

Merlin looked at Alina in a silent plea for help.

_You can tell him, you know_, she told him. _He hasn't freaked out about your magic, he's hardly going to do it over you being a Dragon Lord._

_Are you sure we're talking about the same Arthur?_

_Pretty much, yes_, she said.

'Stop doing that!' Arthur demanded.

Merlin frowned. 'Doing what?'

'Talking with your minds,' he clarified. 'It makes me feel left out.'

'You know about that too?' Merlin asked, surprised that Arthur knew about this ability as well, although, on second thought, he shouldn't have been, because he remembered Alina asking about his well-being during the battle at Arthur's request.

'Of course I do, you idiot,' Arthur said, being his I-am-really-very-annoyed-now charming self. 'I am not a fool. Now, what's the matter with the dragon?'

_Go on, tell him_, Alina pressed.

So Merlin told everything, stammering and stumbling over the words, looking down at his boots the entire time, but he did it. Arthur was struck speechless as the tale unfolded, jaw dropping from time to time.

'And then I ordered him away and made him promise never to return,' Merlin finished. His mouth was dry, his throat sore and he felt like he was on the verge of crying, because of remembering his father's death.

'I have been such a prat,' Arthur whispered, looking shocked with his own behaviour.

Merlin managed half a smile. 'Don't worry,' he muttered. 'I'm getting used to it.'

'Well,' Alina said. 'I'm glad we finally got that all settled. Honestly, it was getting beyond ridiculous, both of you behaving like ignorant fools all the time.'

'We were not!' Arthur protested loudly.

'Sure you weren't,' Alina agreed mockingly.

'So,' Arthur began, getting back to the original subject. 'You want to ask the Great Dragon for help in convincing Morgana to return to her old self again?' Merlin knew the prince long enough to know that he still wasn't pleased with the way things were going.

Merlin wasn't sure himself. When it came to it, Alina had no way to make Kilgharrah obey her wishes and the two had never been the best of friends. Besides, it went against the grain to let Alina walk alone into such a dangerous situation. She could handle a sword as well or even better than Arthur and she could do well magic well enough, but the fact remained that Kilgharrah was not a reliable ally and Morgause and Morgana were together, whereas Alina would be alone.

Alina smiled. 'That was the idea.'

'I don't like it,' Arthur declared.

'And neither do I,' Merlin chimed in.

Warlock and prince looked at each other. 'We agree with each other so much, lately,' Arthur said. 'It's getting slightly alarming.'

Alina grinded her teeth in frustration. 'It may have escaped your notice, but I am actually capable of defending myself.'

'You are not going alone,' Arthur stated. Merlin nodded in agreement.

'Neither of you can come with me,' she reminded them. 'And I won't expose anyone else to Morgause.'

Merlin had always been rather good in thinking up solutions for hopeless situations and this was one of those occasions. His face split into one of his huge grins. 'Actually, I can come with you,' he said.

Alina frowned. 'Didn't you listen to a single word I said, Merlin?' she questioned.

'He didn't,' Arthur said. 'He never does.'

'Oh, but Morgause won't know it's me,' he assured both of them.

This gained him blank faces from the future king and queen, although Alina seemed to grasp at least a little of his meaning.

'What are you talking about, Merlin?' Arthur demanded.

He grinned even wider. 'Morgana won't recognize me if I'm eighty years old.'

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**And on this little cliff-hanger I'm going to leave you for two weeks. I'm going on vacation (finally) and I will have the time to read fanfiction sometimes, but not to write it, unfortunately. Don't worry, I'll be back! In the meantime, let me know what you think, please.**


	61. Chapter 61

**Hello everyone, I am back again and I really want to write again. Unfortunately, university is demanding a lot of my time again, so I won't be able to update every day. Instead, I'll try to upload every two days. I think that might work. **

**Anyway, enough talk, on to the chapter. Enjoy and please review.**

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**Chapter 61**

**Arthur**

Two nights later the three of them rode down to the clearing where he had been fighting the dragon a year ago. It had been quickly decided that Merlin would go with Alina in the disguise of an old man. The warlock had explained that he could use an aging spell to alter his appearance and that no one would recognize him like that.

Alina had smiled and agreed immediately, but Arthur rather doubted the effectiveness of such a disguise. Morgana knew Merlin very well. Surely she would sense there was something familiar about the old sorcerer?

'Stop fretting, Arthur,' Alina said. Arthur guessed she had sensed his emotions. She always did.

'What if Merlin is recognized?' he demanded. They had this discussion at least a dozen times before, but he had never gotten a really straight answer. Alina had been rather vague about it, saying that he just needed to trust Merlin and that everything was going to turn out all right. But he didn't trust that answer anymore. He remembered all too well that she had said exactly the same thing before her arrest.

She sighed impatiently 'We've been over this before,' she said. 'Merlin will be just fine. Now stop worrying, will you?'

That was easier said than done. Rationally he knew that Merlin and Alina were probably better capable of defending themselves than he was, despite his skill with the sword. And yet the mental picture of Merlin trying to wield a sword kept popping up and as an old man, he wouldn't have the advantage of being quick.

'Do I have to spell it out for you?' she wondered. 'Merlin. Will. Be. Fine. He will not be recognized.'

Arthur's patience was running out rapidly. 'How can you be so sure, Alina?' he demanded.

Merlin chuckled. 'It's not like you recognized me when I did it last time,' he shrugged.

Now that caught his attention and he turned to face his servant on his left. 'What do you mean, last time?'

It was dark, so Arthur could not be too sure, but he thought he caught his servant blushing in shame. There was a first.

'What?' he questioned, when Merlin did not reply.

'Well, ehm, do you remember that old sorcerer that kind of enchanted Morgana's room a few years ago?' Merlin muttered.

Arthur felt his jaw drop. He really had to be careful not to make a habit out of this. 'You… what?'

'I take it that means yes.'

'You're him? Dra-something the Great?' he exclaimed, startling his horse.

'Dragoon the Great,' Merlin corrected him.

'Now why on earth would you do that?' Arthur wondered. He remembered this Dragoon character all too well, as he had insulted him in a manner that wasn't easily forgotten. And to think that it had been Merlin all along and that he hadn't seen him for what he truly was, that stung. Apparently he did not know his servant as well as he had thought.

But stranger still than Merlin being the same person as Dragoon, was the reason why Merlin had chosen to show up in his disguise at that particular time. It made no sense. Why would Merlin have enchanted Morgana? Surely there had been no reason to do so at that point in time?

'Do what?' Merlin asked, not understanding.

'Attacking Morgana,' he clarified. Not that he would blame him now. Morgana sure deserved to be attacked for what she had done.

'I didn't,' Merlin said indignantly. 'It was merely a distraction from Morgana herself.'

Arthur gave up. They had lost him. 'Are you saying that Morgana attacked herself?'

'Kind of,' Alina said. 'Although she didn't plan it, of course. Her magic was developing and she was scared. When you have magic over which you do not yet have full control and you are angry or scared, things like that (lighting fire, exploding windows) tend to happen. And Morgana was scared.' She smiled a very sad smile. 'She was so scared that she let it turn her over to Morgause's side.'

Arthur studied her closely. 'You still see her as a friend, don't you?' he asked softly.

'I want to,' she replied. 'I know she isn't now, but I think she can be again.' She shook her head and went back to the previous subject. 'Anyway, we didn't want Uther to investigate the matter too closely, so we provided him with a culprit. That way he would leave all his other suspects alone.'

Arthur was a bit shocked at the simplicity of the plan, but he had to admit it had worked out perfectly. Even he, who knew Merlin so well, had not even thought about the possibility of Merlin being Dragoon and he had most certainly not doubted his confession. After all, why would he?

That made him think of something else. 'You've never even been at the tavern, have you, Merlin?'

Merlin gave him an indignant look. 'Of course not.'

They entered the clearing, which was perfectly empty. Arthur looked around him, and above him, but there was no dragon in sight. Part of him was exceptionally grateful for that. He had no desire whatsoever to ever meet that dangerous and hugely annoying creature ever again. But they did need him now. Alina had made that one very clear.

'He's not here,' he said, stating the obvious.

Merlin chuckled. 'That's because I need to call him first.'

'Call him? How? You whistle and he magically appears all of a sudden?' Arthur had wondered about that for two whole days now. Of course he had asked about it, but Merlin had told him it was difficult to explain and that it would be better if he saw for himself, which irritated Arthur to no end, which was probably the meaning of it.

'You just wait and see,' Merlin said mysteriously. He walked out into the middle of the clearing, facing the sky.

Arthur watched closely. He could very easily see his servant concentrate on something. It was the same look Alina had on her face while talking to Merlin with her mind. Was that it, then? Telepathic abilities? Somehow Arthur had expected that being a Dragon Lord would be… well, would be more impressive.

He was proven wrong the very next second when Merlin began to roar. There really was no other word for it. His voice didn't sound like Merlin's at all. There was a wildness in it, and a wisdom that felt almost ancient. The language in which he spoke was unknown to him. It sounded somewhat like the magic tongue, but it wasn't that. This language must be much older than that.

'Is that dragon tongue?' Arthur whispered.

Alina nodded. 'I believe so.'

Merlin ended his call and returned to them, completely his clumsy, smiling self again. There was no evidence that he had just performed some very powerful magic. Arthur found himself surprised. Surely being a Dragon Lord would leave traces? He remembered Balinor very clearly. As shabby as he may have looked, he also had authority about him. To find that Merlin did not have an ounce of that authority, aside from when he practised his magic, was strange.

'He'll be here,' the warlock announced.

'How do you know?' Arthur demanded.

'He has to come,' Merlin explained. 'He can't disobey a Dragon Lord's orders. When I call him, he has to come, whether he wants it or not.'

Arthur understood something then. 'That's how you made him leave, right? You ordered him to go.'

Merlin nodded. 'I did.'

Arthur's thoughts were already moving on. 'So, you could make him do anything?'

'In theory I could make him do the laundry and write all your speeches,' Merlin replied.

Arthur got a very amusing picture of this big dragon washing his shirts. He immediately had to bite back his laughter, so he returned his attention to the conversation. 'You would never do that, would you?'

'Why would I?' Merlin said nonchalantly.

Arthur could think of a few reasons, but before he could list them, he was distracted by the noise of big clapping wings. He looked up and the next moment the moon was gone, blocked by the form of a huge, not amused looking dragon.

**Alina**

Alina looked as Kilgharrah descended and landed in the middle of the clearing, in almost exactly the same spot where Merlin had stood only minutes before. She supposed the dragon had not been far away, seen as he was here so soon. Of course dragons could fly very fast, but still, he must have been close by, probably to keep an eye on things. Somehow that sounded reassuring.

Arthur backed away a little as the enormous creature made the ground tremble as he landed. She grabbed his hand and smiled. 'It's all right,' she muttered.

Kilgharrah's gaze fixed upon them almost immediately. 'Young sorceress,' he acknowledged. Did she imagine things, or did he sound a little nervous? This pleased her. Let him be nervous, she thought. He deserves after everything he has done.

'Kilgharrah,' she greeted curtly.

'Why have you called me here, young warlock?' The dragon quickly addressed Merlin, before Alina had the chance to lecture him on his past behaviour.

'We need your help,' Merlin replied.

The dragon chuckled. 'You always need my help.'

Alina decided to take the conversation into her own hands. She was not in the mood for riddles at the moment. As it was she had very little patience with the dragon. It was very hard to forget that he had more or less promised not to attack Camelot and its citizens only to find that he had as soon as her back was turned. If she didn't need him for this to work, she might have ended up killing him, just as she had promised.

'If I were you, I would be a little less cheerful,' she told him icily. 'Last time I checked you broke a promise, remember?'

He moved his head closer to her and she suppressed the urge to back away. 'I didn't promise you anything, young sorceress.'

'Quit it,' she snapped. 'You as good as promised and you know it. I have no time for the exact formulations. The point is that I don't think you forgot what I promised to do if you decided not to heed my words.'

'You have no idea what it has been like for me!' Kilgharrah roared. 'Don't you dare judge me!'

Alina knew she should be afraid now that an angry dragon's head was not ten meters away from her, but all she could feel was anger. This creature had the guts to defend his actions! How could he? Arthur had told her how many lives had been lost in his attack. How could he not regret what he had done? How could he even think this was justified? Maybe she shouldn't dismiss the idea of killing him so quickly.

'That doesn't change the fact that you were not supposed to do this,' she growled. 'I have every right to take your life here and now.' And he better know it.

'You do not possess the power to do that,' the dragon said arrogantly.

'I have a Dragon Lord on my side,' she retorted. 'I think you'll find that I can.'

Kilgharrah stared at her disbelievingly. 'You would not do such a terrible thing,' he stated.

'Wouldn't I?' she asked, her face unreadable.

Of course she wouldn't kill him, no matter how tempting it may be at the moment. This was all part of the plan to force Kilgharrah into cooperating. Naturally, Merlin could just force him with his Dragon Lord powers, but they had all decided it would be better if they tricked him into thinking he helped them of his own free will. The idea behind this was that if they could get him to believe that there was something in it for him he was more likely to give it his best try. And heaven knew they needed the best.

Alina once again wondered what had gotten into her when she decided to talk to the sisters about the prophecies. Did she honestly believe that Morgana and Morgause would change their ways because of some old words? She must have been insane. In her heart she knew that they had gone way too far to change. They had crossed the point of no return long ago. But still, Alina knew she could not live with herself if she had not tried. She would always keep wondering what would have happened if she had only talked to them.

She forced herself not to linger on such thoughts, so instead she returned her attention to the dragon. She thought it was a first to see a dragon back away in shock as he realised that she had meant every word. For a moment he was struck speechless, another first. Alina felt almost smug. Who would have believed that she, once Lynn from the twenty-first century, would ever be able to make a mythical creature like a dragon cower away in fear from her? Surely she wouldn't have believed such a ridiculous thing.

'You will not do that,' Kilgharrah stated, more in denial than in actual confidence. This time it really took everything she had not to laugh out loud. Did she really just make the Great Dragon afraid of _her_, a mere, small human being?

'I am seriously tempted to do it,' she replied coldly. 'And if you choose not to cooperate, I may decide to do it after all. But, as Arthur has pointed out to me yesterday, we need you at the moment. Let's just say that if you behave yourself and help us in our quest, I might just let you leave with your life.'

This was a very dangerous game and she knew it. It was a good thing she was so well trained in hiding her emotions from everyone, or he surely would have been on to her from the beginning. Inside she was trembling in fear. This beast could roast her with a single breath and that was not something that you could easily forget. And yet they had decided to practically blackmail a creature as huge and powerful as Kilgharrah. It was a fool's job. Maybe that was the reason it all worked, she pondered.

The dragon's expression darkened and he looked like he wanted nothing more than to burn her on the spot, but his tone was polite as he spoke again. 'What is it you want of me, young sorceress?'

'Let's just say that we need you to explain a few prophecies to a pair of very ignorant people,' she said diplomatically. She knew that if she mentioned Morgana's name right away, he would refuse immediately, no matter what she said.

'What is it you are not telling me, young sorceress?' he asked warily.

She snorted. 'Stop sounding so indignant,' she told him. 'It's not like you're a stranger to keeping secrets. Anyway, you don't have much of a choice if you want to walk away from this. I want you to explain the prophecies concerning the Once and Future King to certain people, no matter what their identities are. And I don't take no for an answer.'

'If I decide to help you, you will do nothing to harm me, young sorceress?' he asked.

She could hear how angry and humiliated he felt and she was almost sure that he would hate her for the rest of his long life, but at the moment she could not care less. All of them knew who had won this battle and they all knew it wasn't the dragon. She had successfully threatened and blackmailed a creature as ancient and powerful as the Great Dragon and she lived to tell the tale. That was a lot to be proud of.

So she smiled a genuine smile as she answered him. 'You have my word,' she promised. 'As long as I have yours that you will not try to harm me or any citizen of Camelot in return.'

He gave her another look that told her that she could go to hell for all he cared, but he nodded reluctantly. Yes, she had done it. Even now it all had been arranged and the necessary promises had been made, she could hardly believe it. It seemed so surreal.

But she had learned long ago just to go with it, no matter how strange things were. After all, strange things were almost normal in Camelot. So she smiled again and said: 'Right, we better get to work then.'

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**That's it for today. I hope you liked it. Next chapter the real talk begins…**


	62. Chapter 62

**And here's the next one. It's a lot of conversation, but there's another bit in Morgana's POV as well. Apparently you liked it, so I decided to include her as a main POV. You'll be seeing more of her in future chapters.**

**Anyway, enough talk, on to the chapter. Enjoy and let me know what you think.**

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**Chapter 62**

**Morgana**

Morgana was pacing restlessly around the clearing. She could not for the life of her remember why she had ever agreed to Alina's proposal to discuss some life changing prophecies in the middle of the night in the middle of the forest. But the reason for her agreeing didn't really matter now. What did matter was that she was here with Morgause and that she had absolutely no clue as to what was going to happen. She did not like that feeling one bit.

'We can still walk away, sister,' Morgause said. Her dear sister was not easily frightened, but when it came to Alina, Morgause was at least slightly nervous. She had encountered the princess's great powers in the battle for Camelot and Morgana knew that had scared her a little. That was nothing to be ashamed of, the young witch thought. She herself had been thoroughly frightened by Alina's power.

'We won't,' Morgana decided.

There was no reason why she would not agree to Morgause's plan, there really wasn't. Maybe it was her curiosity that kept her in this place. She found that she wanted to know what it was that Alina was talking about. Maybe it also was because somewhere a small voice in the back of her head was telling her that she would make the mistake of a lifetime if she didn't listen now.

She frowned as that thought crossed her mind. Surely she did not think she was wrong in acting as she did? No, she believed in her cause, she knew that much. She was fighting for a Camelot that would allow her and her kind to live in freedom, without fear for persecution. It had become clear to her that this would never happen as long as Uther was alive. He needed to be removed in order for this future to come true.

But Alina had been right about one thing, as much as she hated to admit it. The powerful sorceress had described what would have happened if Uther were to be killed and the likes of Cenred would gain power. In her heart she knew that he was not the right replacement for the magic-hating Pendragon. She had known it even as she was plotting Uther's downfall. But she had gone through with it anyway, because at that point in time Cenred was the only option.

She grimaced. Why did Alina have to be right about so many things? She was nothing more than a traitor to her own kind, who deserved to be killed for that crime. There was no doubt in Morgana's mind that she hated the princess. She had ruined everything! And why? To save a king that had once been determined to make her burn for simply possessing magic! Alina could not have known that his attitude towards her had changed when she had returned. She had risked her life to save a man who would kill her as soon as he was in his right mind again as far as she knew.

When she thought about it, that was more than strange. She tried not to think it over, but now she had started it, there was no stopping it. Alina clearly did not have a death wish, so there must be a reason why she had come back, even when there was nothing in it for her. That was how it seemed at least. Because Alina had mentioned someone named the Once and Future King. One way or another, this person was important. Could it be that this prophesised king was the right replacement for Uther? And if that was the case, it was of the utmost importance that they found him and won him over to their cause.

Come to think about it, maybe that was why she was here, even though she had not realised it before now. A smile formed on her face.

'We need to know who this Once and Future King is,' Morgana explained, a bit friendlier than she had sounded before. 'If he is so important, we have to win him over.'

Morgause nodded. One of the best things about her sister was that she understood her perfectly, without Morgana having to spell it out for her. This was something she had never experienced before. No one had ever fully understood her, not the way Morgause did. Maybe this was just because Morgause was her kin. She could not remember what it was like to have a family, as her parents had died long ago. The memories of her childhood were blurry and difficult to recall. Her life in Camelot was what she remembered best.

They were distracted by the sound of footsteps in the forest and Morgana was immediately alarmed. That was not just one single person walking there. There was at least one more. She frowned. Alina had not come alone. What kind of trickery was this?

Before she could really think about that, they entered the clearing and Morgana could barely hold back her laughter. Alina had not come alone, but her companion did not look very threatening at all. Why in the world would she bring an old man with her?

The man accompanying Alina was at least eighty years old. He had difficulty walking and he leaned heavily on both Alina's arm and a wooden walking stick. He had long white hair and an even longer white beard, almost down to his waist. In the dark it was difficult to see his face, but Morgana had the strange feeling that she had met him before.

'Morgana, Morgause,' Alina greeted them. She held out her hand to the blond priestess. 'We haven't met before, I believe.'

Morgause ignored the hand. 'I don't shake hands with traitors.'

Alina just shrugged. 'Whatever you choose. Well, I'd like you to introduce you to a friend of mine. His name is Dragoon, Dragoon the Great.'

Morgana's heart almost stopped at the hearing of the name. She could swear that she had heard it before. If only she could remember where and when this had been…

The answer to that question came almost immediately. Alina waved her hands and several lights appeared out of nowhere, illuminating the clearing. It lighted out Dragoon's face, his mocking expression and his somehow very familiar blue eyes. Of course she had seen this man before and now that she recognized him, she also remembered when she had met him before.

Well, of course she had not really met him, but it was impossible to forget what he had once done for her. Because at the time that her magic was developing and Uther had been very busy looking for the culprit, Dragoon had appeared out of nowhere, taking the blame for something he had never done, risking his own life in doing so. When she had asked Alina why he had done this, she had just said that the old man had a soft spot for her. She had left it at that, but in the following weeks she had often wondered what had become of him, if he was alive and healthy. She had felt so grateful towards him, but she had never gotten the chance to tell him.

So when she saw him enter the meeting place at Alina's side, she was struck speechless for a moment. What was he doing there? He was on Morgana's side, wasn't he? But then she remembered that Alina had mentioned he was a friend of hers. Apparently he cared more for the traitor than for her. Good heavens, why would any sorcerer ever choose Alina's company over hers, taken into account that Alina had betrayed each and every one of her own kind? Surely it couldn't be that she wasn't the only traitor?

'You!' she gasped.

The old man smiled a sad smile. 'So we meet again, Lady Morgana,' he said.

She did not know what to say. 'We do,' she therefore agreed. There was no escaping the feeling that Dragoon was disappointed in her for some reason. She could not tell why this disappointment pained her so much. Why would she even care about some old man's good opinion? It made no sense.

Morgause just frowned, not understanding Morgana's shocked reaction. 'Who are you, old man?' she demanded.

'My name is Dragoon the Great,' he said, although Morgana dared say Morgause would have heard that the first time as well. 'You must be Morgause.'

Morgause's eyes narrowed in suspicion. 'Have I met you?' So Morgana wasn't the only one who thought his eyes familiar. That was good to know, because she had already started to think she had been imagining things.

Dragoon cocked his head and studied her sister closely. 'Nah,' he then said dismissively. 'I don't think so. I never forget a face.'

Morgause shook her head. 'No, I know I'm right. There's something about your eyes…'

For a moment Morgana thought Dragoon looked panicked, but it was only a second and then Alina took over the conversation, distracting them. 'Dragoon is here to help me explain a few of the prophecies. He's quite the expert on the subject.'

The old sorcerer was certainly old enough to know a lot, Morgana pondered. Maybe he had even been the person to make those prophecies in the first place.

'Why should we even listen to prophecy?' Morgause questioned. She had been opposed to this meeting from the start, seeing it as an attempt to undermine every plan they had.

Morgana could not deny that this was most likely the case, but Alina's words in that abandoned room had struck home: _I know every single plan that you still have to come up with, and they will all fail, Morgana. None of them will actually succeed. And you will lose everything and everyone you love. In the end you will be robbed of your sister, your allies and every last friend you have on this earth. You will be left with nothing. _And that reason alone was enough for her to agree to this meeting. The failing of each and every plan she would ever make, that she could probably handle, the loss of her allies too, but her sister meant too much to her. She could not lose the only member of her family she had left.

'Let's just say that hopefully it will make the both of you reconsider what you are doing,' Alina said. 'If you know what and who it is you are actually fighting against, I don't think you will be as eager to bring down Camelot as you are now.'

Morgana's curiosity was triggered, in spite of herself. Who it was that they were fighting against? Surely they were only fighting against Uther and surely he deserved everything they sent his way? He would never be able to make her reconsider fighting Camelot as she was doing now. But somehow she did not get the feeling Alina was talking about Uther.

'Don't you think it would be a good idea to reveal the identity of this life changing person then?' she said as airily as she could, trying her hardest not to show her eagerness to know. They needed this person if any of their plans were to succeed. Morgana would be able to deal with failure, but Morgause would not. Therefore it was absolutely necessary to have someone on their side who could make this work.

Alina smiled indulgently, sensing her impatience. 'The man we're talking about is known as the Once and Future King in the ancient prophecies,' she replied. 'But to us he is known as prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot.'

Morgana could feel her jaw drop.

**Arthur**

Arthur was feeling more uncomfortable by the minute. Hiding in a tree was not such a good idea as it had seemed at first. Alina and Merlin had been in agreement that he was to stay behind. Alina had even gone as far as to order him to stay in the castle. But Arthur was used to giving orders and not to be on the receiving side of them, so obeying Alina had been out of the question.

It had, however, not been wise to tell her so, so he simply sneaked out of the castle and followed them unseen. Of course he had forgotten about Alina's ability to sense his exact whereabouts, something he only just remembered when they came into the forest. Arthur was sure he had not made a sound, but suddenly she looked right at the tree he was hiding behind.

For a moment he thought he had been undetected, but then he heard her mocking voice inside his head. _Honestly, Arthur?_

_How did you…?_ he started to ask, only to realise that she could sense him and that his brilliant plan had not been so brilliant at all. Really, he hated that ability of hers sometimes.

He had just started to fear she would send him back, probably using her magic if he didn't obey, but she surprised him once again. _Oh, well, if you want to come, do it, then. Just make sure you stay out of sight, will you?_

So he followed Merlin and Alina through the forest, making almost no noise at all, result of many years of training. Merlin changed his appearance when they were only a few hundred meters away from the agreed meeting place. Arthur watched in amazement as he watched his servant age in almost no time at all. Seeing it happen made him wonder how it was possible that he had not recognized Dragoon for what he was the first time he had encountered him. There was still enough Merlin in the features of the old man, most especially in his eyes.

The old version of the warlock had a lot of difficulty walking. Apparently he just didn't look like an old man, he really became an old man, with all aches that came with old age.

Arthur hid himself in a huge tree with a lot of leaves to hide him from sight. He could see Morgana in her purple dress and the sorceress Morgause, dressed in chainmail. She looked like she suspected this meeting would end up in a fight and Arthur frowned. This did not look very well. Her refusal to shake Alina's hand made him even more suspicious of her. The beautiful, yet dangerous woman did not look like she wanted to have this conversation at all. What if the only reason she agreed to this was to lure Camelot's new Court Sorceress into a trap?

He watched carefully as Alina introduced Merlin's alter ego to the sisters. Both Morgana and Morgause seemed to think there was something awfully familiar about Dragoon, but, just as he had been unable to identify him, neither were they. Maybe no one thought about Merlin because only the thought of the clumsy Merlin being the same person as this ridiculous speaking old sorcerer was beyond ridiculous.

Alina was quick enough to bring on the real reason why they were there. 'Dragoon is here to help me explain a few of the prophecies. He's quite the expert on the subject.'

Now he started to listen to the actual conversation, instead of just focussing on what Morgause would and wouldn't do. He had been wondering about the prophecies since Alina had first mentioned them. He had even bothered to send a servant, he had been careful for it not to be Merlin, to the library to search for books on the subject. Naturally his father had banished all books on the subject. The art of prophecy was after all too close to the art of magic.

He had never been able to find out what the prophecies were really about. He had to piece together everything that Alina had told him, and he had to admit that wasn't much. Apparently he was the Once and Future King, the greatest king to ever live (no pressure of course), who was going to be protected by the powerful warlock Emrys, another alter ego of Merlin's. But knowing Alina this wasn't all there was to it. There had to be more and he would be a fool if she wasn't to divulge some new information tonight.

'Why should we even listen to prophecy?' Morgause demanded in an almost mocking voice. Arthur had been right about her attitude towards this meeting. She didn't even intend to listen.

Alina ignored the tone. She just smiled friendly as she replied. 'Let's just say that hopefully it will make the both of you reconsider what you are doing. If you know what and who it is you are actually fighting against, I don't think you will be as eager to bring down Camelot as you are now.'

Morgana blinked a few times, but seemed interested in what the supposed traitors had to say, unlike her sister. 'Don't you think it would be a good idea to reveal the identity of this life changing person then?' she asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

Arthur could feel his hope rising. Alina was convinced that Morgana could be convinced to come back to them, even if Morgause could not. Arthur had not really believed that before now. But seeing the expression on her face now made him hope.

Alina smiled again, as if she knew exactly what was going on in Morgana's head. 'The man we're talking about is known as the Once and Future King in the ancient prophecies,' she said. 'But to us he is known as prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot.'

Arthur had heard this part before, but yet he was incapable of restraining himself. His jaw dropped, just like Morgana's and Morgause's. Morgana looked positively shocked. Morgause on the other hand looked disgusted.

'That's impossible!' she snapped. 'I have heard the prophecies. The king mentioned there would have to be protected by the most powerful sorcerer of all times, who goes by the name of Emrys.'

Arthur frowned again. Morgana had claimed to be ignorant of any prophecy and Arthur believed her on that one. Why had Morgause not told her beloved sister about them? Did she not think them relevant or was there another reason? It looked like Morgause did not trust Morgana enough to tell her everything she knew. This fact was interesting, something they could use later on.

Merlin cackled. It sounded pretty creepy, even Arthur had to admit. If he had not known it was only Merlin, he would have backed away as well. 'He is protected, Lady Morgause!' he laughed. 'That you have not seen me do it, is your mistake, after all.'

'That's not possible,' Morgana stated in a determined voice. 'I've met you before. If you were truly protecting Arthur, you would not have spoken to him the way you did.'

Merlin gave her a creepy smile. 'How little you know, witch,' he said in that weird little voice of his. 'How can you hope to comprehend matters of such importance with that toad-sized brains of yours?'

If anything, Merlin hadn't gotten any more original in the last few years. He remembered all too well how Dragoon had accused him of exactly the same thing.

'You may not have seen me protect Arthur, but I have been doing it. Do you think that a warlock as powerful as me would not be able to take on different shapes and faces, witch?'

'Don't call me that!'

He laughed. 'But that is what you are, aren't you?' He walked over to her, studying her face closely. 'Such power in one so young,' he muttered. 'Such a shame should it be wasted on fruitless attempts to thwart destiny.'

'Get away from her!' Morgause ordered, as Morgana was too shocked to do anything.

This only gained her Dragoon's full attention. 'And you, oh, I have heard about you. Deceiving, lying, and even to your own sister…'

'Be quiet!' she shouted.

'So polite,' Merlin mocked. Arthur wondered if the young, real Merlin all stored this up to say when he was in disguise. He had a feeling he did. 'Maybe if you said _please_…'

Morgause's only reply was a flash of light coming from her hands, aimed right at Merlin's heart. Arthur had to suppress the urge to jump out of his tree to do… well, whatever it took to make sure that Merlin was safe.

But before he could even move, Merlin made a small movement with his hands and the light fell apart into small sparkles that disappeared into nothing the next second. Arthur blinked, trying to process it all. Morgause's spell must have been very powerful. Even he, who knew next to nothing about magic, had been able to tell that. A less powerful sorcerer might have been killed, no matter what he did. But yet, there Merlin stood, not even panting. He just flicked his wrist and Morgause's spell wasbroken, made completely undone. He even looked like it was no effort at all to do it.

Now, of course Arthur had known for quite a while how powerful his servant must be. But that was the theory. He had never seen it with his own eyes until now. He found that theory and reality were two different things altogether.

'Now, that wasn't very nice, was it?' Merlin said. He sounded like a man reprimanding a little child, which wasn't too far beside the truth, seen as he was now about eighty years old. 'Have you not been taught manners?'

Morgause's eyes had widened as Merlin had dealt with her charm so easily, but it did not take long. The last words had hardly left his mouth when she threw a whole bunch of enchantments his way, none of which actually hit their target. Merlin simply ended most of them with his magic and dodged the remaining few with ease. Ducking countless goblets and other objects paid off, Arthur supposed.

'Now, now,' Merlin said. 'You haven't learned at all, have you? Then you leave me no other choice.' He turned his face to the sky. His roaring made even Morgause's face as white as a sheet.

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**That's it for today. The next update should be up Wednesday. I'm experiencing quite a bit of trouble in getting the next chapter right, so I hope I'll manage in time. Have a good day!**


	63. Chapter 63

**Hello everyone, and here's the new chapter. It was very difficult to write this one and to keep everyone in character. I hope I did, but you can be the judge of that. Anyway, enjoy the chapter and please let me know what you think. It would mean a lot.**

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**Chapter 63**

**Merlin**

Calling Kilgharrah with his Dragon Lord power was not something he would ever get used to. He could feel the power rushing through him, power so wild and strong, yet he could never understand it completely. He could use it, but not grasp it like his other magic. It just worked and he was happy that it did.

When he faced Morgause again he saw her stare at him in shock. 'That's impossible,' she said.

Morgana looked confused. 'What happened?' Merlin could tell she was a little scared.

'He called a friend of his,' Alina replied, before Merlin got the chance. And he was glad she did. Keeping up the role of Dragoon, the great, powerful and slightly crazy sorcerer was hard for him now, when all he wanted to do was tell Morgana how very sorry he was for everything that had happened to her, how he wished he could reverse time itself and undo whatever it was that Morgause had done to her. He wanted to beg her forgiveness, but he knew very well that he couldn't. Maybe, one day, if all this went well, he could do that, he told himself.

'What friend?' Morgana demanded, but she fooled no one. Merlin could tell she was scared.

Kilgharrah's arrival saved him from having to give an answer. The familiar noise of a landing dragon filled the air and made the sisters look up in wonder and fear.

'That's impossible,' Morgause whispered again.

'So you keep saying,' Merlin cackled. He wouldn't dream of saying stuff like this in his true form, but like this, he could say anything. Even if Morgause would seek him out later, she would be unable to find him. Dragoon would simply cease to exist.

'The dragon,' Morgana whispered. 'How…?'

'He's a Dragon Lord,' Alina informed her matter-of-factly.

Morgana blinked. 'Those are extinct. Arthur killed the last one a year ago.'

'Technically it were Cenred's men that killed him,' Alina corrected.

Merlin only briefly wondered how she knew that, but then decided it must be her knowledge from the future. He had forgotten how detailed that knowledge was.

There was no more time for talk, because the dragon landed in front of them. 'Warlock, young sorceress,' he acknowledged. Merlin wasn't sure about it, but he thought Kilgharrah sounded a little annoyed. Well, he could understand that, he supposed. After all, he had been threatened and then forced into helping someone he'd rather stay far away from. If anything, Alina had completely lost his good opinion. Not that she cared. He would have to help them anyway, if only for destiny's sake.

The dragon's gaze wandered first to Morgause and then to Morgana. The enormous eyes lingered there. 'And the witch,' he said. There was no mistaking the cool, even hostile tone, in his voice.

Morgause may be a liar, an evil witch and many more things, but she was brave. 'Call off your pet, old man!' she ordered.

Before Merlin could even start to tell her that was not the way things worked with dragons, Kilgharrah was already on his hind legs, roaring. 'Do not insult me, witch!' he snarled as he came down. 'Dragons are no animals, we are a noble breed.'

Every sensible person would have backed away, and Morgause was a sensible person sometimes. Merlin forced himself to laugh again, even though he did not really think this funny at all.

This enraged Morgause. 'You should be helping us,' she said. She must be braver than Merlin had given her credit for. Before he had his Dragon Lord powers he would not even dream of trying to command a dragon, most especially not a very angry one. The blond witch must be either very brave or very stupid.

_Or both_, Alina commented.

_Or both_, he agreed. _What do we do now? Morgause is ruining the plan._

_Let her. I'd like to see her trying to reason with Kilgharrah_. She smirked. _Because she is never going to win _that_ battle._

_You want to let Kilgharrah handle this on his own?_

She shrugged. _Why not? He's doing such a good job. Have you seen Morgana's face?_

No, he hadn't, but now she mentioned it, he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. His former friend had backed away from the dragon, and therefore away from her sister. Merlin did not think she had noticed that by doing this she had also moved closer towards them. If only that would mean she would come over to their side again.

This time Kilgharrah didn't roar, but laugh.

_He's definitely suffering from sudden mood swings_, Alina thought at him.

'How ignorant you are,' the dragon laughed. 'How little you know.'

'About prophecy?' Morgause questioned mockingly.

Kilgharrah moved his head closer to hers. 'About destiny,' he corrected. 'But you are not important.'

Maybe it was not wise to insult a dragon, but it also wasn't wise to insult someone like Morgause. Merlin knew from experience that the result might very well be some very nasty spells aimed at you.

In this case it was a little less extreme. She just started shouting. 'I will be the one to dethrone Uther Pendragon and restore magic to the land,' she stated rather loudly.

Kilgharrah merely laughed. 'How ignorant you are,' he repeated. 'It is not you who is destined to return magic to the land, it is the Once and Future King, Arthur Pendragon, who will do that.'

Merlin was almost sure Arthur was hiding somewhere close to them, hearing each and every word. He had no real evidence for this assumption, but he knew the prince well enough to know that he would not stay behind to miss something as important as this, and most especially not when someone ordered him to. Arthur reacted very badly to being given commands.

So, Merlin wondered what Arthur would think about all this. He was sure neither he nor Alina had ever told him more about his destiny than him being the Once and Future King, so he was hearing a lot of new information tonight. Well, he supposed they would hear a thud when he fainted and fell out of whatever tree he was hiding in at the moment.

Come to think of Arthur, it was still a weird idea that he did not have to hide who he was any longer from the other side of his coin. And to think that Arthur had known for so long and never said anything… The prince really was a prat. He so deserved it to be shocked.

'You're wrong,' Morgause said. 'I don't even know you. You could be lying for all I know. You could only be saying what _he_,' she pointed at Merlin, 'wants you to say.'

Kilgharrah laughed again. Merlin suspected him to do it on purpose, to annoy her. The dragon was by no means above petty bullying, he knew that well enough. And he might be here against his will, but he had no sympathy for the likes of Morgause, that threatened the future he had his heart set on. Anyone trying to thwart destiny was an enemy of his and Morgause was no exception.

'You know nothing,' he told her again. 'And why should you know? You are nothing to destiny.' Then he turned to Morgana, accidentally killing a tree or two with his tail as he turned around. 'It is you who is important to destiny.'

**Morgana**

Morgana had hardly processed the shock of finding herself face to face with an enormous creature that she had believed to be dead until a few minutes ago, when it told her that she played a part in the destiny he kept going on about. She had a feeling she might faint if there were any more such surprises coming her way. She wasn't sure with how many more she could deal.

The first shock had been the arrival of the dragon, being summoned here by this old, still familiar looking sorcerer. She had believed Dragoon would have him burn the pair of them for not being so nice to him, although Morgana could not understand why he did not do the job himself. From what she had seen, he was more than capable of finishing them off himself. His magic was more powerful than any she had ever seen before, including Alina's.

It had only just dawned on her that she was not going to die immediately when she got another shock to endure: the beast could talk. No, he couldn't just talk, every word betrayed that he was not only very intelligent, he was also very wise. Morgause may have been too angry to see, but Morgana had observed him as he spoke to her sister.

Morgana had trouble making sense of her own thoughts at the moment. Oh, the proposal to have a little chat had sounded innocent enough, that was, until Dragoon turned up, fought with her sister and had summoned this dragon to… Well, to do what exactly? She found that she had not the slightest clue as to what he was supposed to be doing here.

The best way to deal with all this was to simply watch the events unfold before her, storing away all her questions, and emotions for that matter, for a later moment. That was the only way to get through this without going insane. It was a method she knew to be working. She had perfected it in the year after Alina's escape, before Morgause had taken her away from Camelot, the place she had come to hate. Retreating within herself, simply watching what was going on, she could keep herself more or less calm. Otherwise, she would have been screaming and weeping in fear long before her sister had rescued her.

Her mental defences broke, however, when the dragon turned to her. At first she was too busy backing away in fear to hear what he was saying. Only when she was certain that this beast was not going to hurt her, she tried to remember what it was that he had just said. Something about her being important to destiny?

No, she must have heard that wrong. 'Excuse me?' Even after living with Morgause for a year, with very little company around, she had not forgotten her manners. They came as easy as breathing to her. So it was only after she had said the words that she started wondering why on earth she bothered to be polite to a dragon.

He laughed, sending a few sparks into the air as he did so. 'Your destiny, witch, is an important one, so unlike your sister's.' He studied her closer. 'How small you are, so small for such a big destiny.'

'Oh, _please_, Kilgharrah!' Morgana heard Alina exclaim. 'Don't you _ever_ grow tired of using that line?'

This distracted Morgana for half a second. Had Kilgharrah (that was his name?) told her the same thing? Alina had a great destiny too?

But she directed her thoughts back to the conversation at hand. This conversation had already become one big mess and she was not going to make an even bigger one of it. Details were for later. 'What do you mean, my destiny?' she demanded.

The dragon stopped laughing, moving his head closer to hers again. 'I don't know, young witch,' he replied in a serious voice.

Morgana was utterly confused now. How could he first say that she had a big destiny, only to confess that he did not exactly know what it was? How could he know that her destiny was great, then? It made no sense.

'Honestly, you'd say that giving a straight answer would kill him,' Alina muttered and Morgana suddenly noticed how close she had moved towards her and the slightly crazy old sorcerer who claimed to be Emrys, whoever that might be. In fact, she was now closer to them than she was to Morgause, which gave her an uneasy feeling.

'I've heard enough of this,' Morgause suddenly said. She held out her hand and sent a spell at the dragon's head. Before it had even flown halfway, however, it was warded off by the old man.

He might have looked amused before, he might have looked crazy and he might have looked weak, he looked none of those things now. The old man was surprisingly quick for his age. As it turned out, he didn't really need a walking stick when it came to it. He took a few determined steps, holding out his own hands and Morgause was sent flying backwards against a tree. Another spell of Dragoon's held her there. It looked like she was unable to move or even speak.

'That was not so nice,' Dragoon told her. 'I will have to keep you here until you can behave yourself.' He really enjoyed all this a little too much, Morgana thought. 'Go on, Kilgharrah,' Dragoon said. 'Don't let us interrupt your riddles.'

So at least she was not the only one to find the riddles annoying. Oh, good heavens, why was she even thinking about riddles when her sister was practically tied up against a tree? She should be screaming in fear or even demanding Morgause's immediate release, but instead she found herself questioning the Great Dragon. What was wrong with her?

'How can you know my destiny is great if you don't know what it is?' she asked.

'Because you have the power to shape the future, young witch,' he replied. 'Not many people hold that power.'

It wasn't difficult to connect the dots. 'Alina is one of them.' That must be why she was so hell-bent on having this conversation in the first place.

She thought she saw the dragon smile, but it was gone before she could really see it. 'She is.'

Morgana forced herself to think this through. Somehow this conversation had shifted from the Once and Future King towards her own destiny. She still wasn't sure how that had happened, but she knew it was no good to linger on the first subject anyway. With Arthur being this great prophesised king, there was no way to win him over to her cause. Arthur was far too loyal to Camelot and his father to even consider such a thing.

So now she was told about her destiny, and she could not escape the feeling that this had been the point all along. Maybe she should have known. She had believed she was clever enough to get the information she wanted from Alina and then act on it. She had underestimated the princess, again. And now she had to play this game, if she wanted it or not.

But even as she tried to resist this new direction the conversation was taking, part of her _wanted_ to know, _wanted_ to understand. That same part of her was the part that was desperately looking for the answer as to why this was all happening, the part that wanted nothing else than a safe place to live, without fear of Uther and his prejudiced reign. Could it be, just maybe, that Alina, Dragoon and even this mysterious dragon had a better way of giving her that?

She dismissed the though as soon as it entered her head. Of course they had no such better way. They weren't even fighting Uther! They were just, foolishly and in vain, hoping that Arthur, _Arthur_ of all people, would make things better. That was just unheard of. The prince was an idiot if ever she saw one.

'What about me?' she asked. The words had left her mouth before she had given them permission to do so. 'What will happen if I remain on Morgause's side?'

The dragon seemed to look right through her, into her very soul, which made her feel slightly uncomfortable. But for some reason she could not turn away. 'The young sorceress has told you, hasn't she?'

She swallowed. 'So, it is true? If I go on like this, I'll lose my sister?'

Kilgharrah nodded solemnly. 'Along with everyone you have ever cared about.'

Morgana did not care for anyone else but Morgause at the moment, so that bit was not important. The bit about her sister, however, was.

'No!' Morgause screamed. 'Don't listen to him, Morgana! Sister!'

But Morgana ignored her. 'And if I don't, will she live?' she asked, her eyes never leaving the dragon's face.

'Her own actions will determine her life and death,' Kilgharrah said.

'But I will not be responsible for her demise?' Morgana pressed.

'You will not.'

Those words broke her heart into a thousand pieces, leaving it raw and throbbing. She knew what she must do the moment the dragon gave her the answer she had asked for. She cared for Morgause like she cared for no one else. She could not even remember caring so much about anyone ever before. And if you cared for someone, you wanted to keep them safe, at all costs. Morgana was no exception to this rule.

She did not even know why she trusted the dragon, why she believed every word he said, whereas she had doubted every word that had come out of Alina's mouth. She just did. Somewhere deep down she knew he spoke the truth. But even if he didn't, would she take the risk that it wasn't true, if the cost was her sister's life?

She shook her head. No, she wouldn't. Morgause had saved her life once and for that she was infinitely grateful. But it was Morgana's turn to save her now. Never, ever would she have believed it would happen in this way. Never would she have thought that it would break her heart as it would break her sister's. Saving someone was supposed to make both persons involved feel happier. It wasn't meant to be so painful.

Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she faced Morgause again, but she did not bother to hide them. It would be pointless anyway. There was no stopping it.

She was grateful her sister understood her so well. She wasn't forced to speak those awful words aloud. Morgause understood her without them.

'No, Morgana!' she begged. 'Sister, they are lying! Don't listen to them.'

'I can't take the risk,' she whispered. 'I'm so sorry.' The last words were barely audible, but she knew Morgause must have heard them. Her sister looked at her, but she dropped her gaze. She couldn't face the disappointment and grief that she knew to be there.

'Sister, please!' she cried. 'Don't send me away from you. Please, sister.'

Her begging almost changed Morgana's mind, but she reminded herself what would happen if she allowed Morgause to remain with her. _You will be robbed of your sister. _And that she could not live through. Then she rather abandoned her beloved sister now, knowing that she would live, than having to face her death later. Morgause would be unhappy for a while, but at least she would have her life.

'I'm sorry,' she whispered again. 'But I can't see you anymore.'

Had she ever seen Morgause look so vulnerable before? She doubted it. The look in her eyes was heart-breaking. 'Please…,' she begged one last time.

Morgana was close to breaking point now, but she stood her ground, knowing it was for the best. 'I can't. Leave, please.'

She could not bear this for much longer, but Morgause didn't protest anymore. She would do anything for her, even if it meant that she would get hurt. Morgana knew this and she knew it wasn't fair to do this to her, but what other choice was there? The alternative was just unacceptable.

Morgause nodded, finally defeated, tears also in her eyes, betraying her pain.

'Let her go, Dragoon,' Alina said softly. Morgana had almost forgotten there were other people with them in the clearing, but they didn't really matter anyway.

Dragoon ended the spell that kept her sister chained to the large oak. He braced himself for spells that she might send his way, but it was not necessary. Morgause didn't even look at him, her gaze fixed on Morgana. 'One day, sister,' she promised solemnly. 'One day we will meet again.' She disappeared into the forest, leaving no traces behind.

The next moment Morgana collapsed, weeping and mourning for all that she had lost.

* * *

**I bet you didn't see that one coming. At least, I didn't until I found myself writing it.**

**Anyway, we're heading towards slightly calmer waters now, at least, as calm as things ever get in Camelot. And in case you're wondering, I know exactly where I want this story to go, but it's going to take quite a few chapters to get there, so I hope you don't mind that this story is going to get really big. **

**Have a nice day and please review. I'm not sure I'm pleased with the way it all turned out, so I'd like to know your thoughts about that.**


	64. Chapter 64

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter and it's time for the goblin to visit. And, no, that doesn't mean we won't hear about Morgana. As it happens, the whole goblin episode is rather important for her. You'll have to read to find out. It won't be this chapter, however. **

**So enjoy and let me know what you think.**

* * *

**Chapter 64**

**Alina**

'What if something happens?' Arthur questioned, for the tenth time that morning, and probably the hundredth time in a week.

'It's going to be fine,' Alina said, also for the tenth time that morning. 'Honestly, Arthur, you have to stop worrying so much. It really doesn't suit you.' She strapped the last bit of her luggage to the horse, checking if she really had everything she needed with her. She had done that before, of course, but she liked to make sure.

'But what if something happens while you're away?' Arthur pressed.

Alina groaned in frustration. 'I'm only an hour's ride away,' she told him. 'It's not like I'm going to the other side of the world or something. And nothing is going to happen. Nothing has happened for the last two weeks, I doubt it will now.'

'Well, you've been around for the last two weeks,' Merlin muttered.

'Says the most powerful warlock of all times,' she commented sarcastically. 'Good heavens, guys, you managed two years without me.'

'And just look at the mess we managed to get ourselves in then,' Arthur retorted.

'I'll be gone for a week at most!' she exclaimed. 'How much could possibly go wrong in such a short period of time?'

'I could think of some things,' Arthur muttered.

Alina frowned. 'When did you become such a pessimist?'

He shrugged, as did Merlin. 'Maybe somewhere in the last two years?' he suggested.

Arthur had changed, she pondered. Arthur had changed a lot. He had not only become a whole lot more observant, he had also started to show signs of what could well be called wisdom. She smiled. There was no doubt in her mind that Arthur truly was the Once and Future King. Not that he could not be as big a prat as ever if he choose to be one. He just didn't do it as often as he had.

'I'm sure Merlin can keep you out of trouble, when he's not spending his time in the tavern, that is.' The tavern had become something of a regular joke between them, because they all knew Merlin had never even been there and would most likely never do that either.

Arthur's expression darkened. 'It's not Merlin I'm worried about.'

She knew immediately what he was talking about: Morgana. And she couldn't say he did not have reason to be worried. She herself had wondered more than once what was going on and what she could do about it.

Morgana had hardly spoken since that eventful night. Alina had not known what she expected from the conversation. Actually, she had almost expected that nothing would change. What happened had completely surprised her. As soon as Kilgharrah told Morgana that she had a way of saving Morgause's life, by abandoning her and the course of action she was now following.

Alina wasn't sure why Morgana had done it. Did she really care so much for the blond enchantress? It would certainly seem so. She shook her head, trying to get rid of a lot of unwelcome thoughts. How anyone could care about someone as evil as Morgause was entirely beyond her. But then, Morgause had been good to Morgana. Maybe it wasn't so strange that Morgana cared so much. And Morgause truly cared about Morgana. It was as simple as that. Alina had seen it with her own eyes. No one could fake that amount of hurt. She knew all too well from bitter experience.

She had expected Morgana to ignore Kilgharrah's words. She had gone too far down this road of revenge to turn back. But something had managed to get to her and Alina thought she had a fairly good idea what it was. She wanted her sister safe more than she wanted her revenge on Uther. She didn't know if she should think this reassuring, but in a way it was.

But she was worried about this development as well. They had hardly seen Morgana since that night. She kept to her room, hardly eating anything. A very alarmed Gwen had told Merlin that she cried for most of the time. Gwen had no idea what was going on exactly. They had all decided it would be best that they kept this amongst themselves for a while, so Merlin had told her that it was probably a late reaction to everything that had happened to her in the past year. This wasn't a complete lie, after all.

Ugh, why did life in Camelot have to be so very complicated? When she was still living in the twenty-first century she had often complained about how life was so complicated there and how everything was simpler in the past. How wrong had she been.

Because now she found herself not only worried that Morgana might try to get her revenge again, no, she also felt sorry for her. She knew what it was like to leave someone you loved dearly, especially when you knew you might never see them again in your life. She remembered all too well what it had been like for her when she had to flee Camelot. She would not wish that feeling on her worst enemy. And yet it was more or less her fault that Morgana felt as miserable as she did.

She sighed. These were things she shouldn't be worrying about right now. Morgana may have changed her attitude towards Camelot and Uther, but some things never changed. When she made a decision, she would never go back on it, no matter what. She had decided to change the future, save Morgause's life. She would not do anything to endanger Morgause now.

As she thought about this changing the future thing, she frowned. There had been something off about what the dragon had said and until now, she had not been able to put her finger on it. But now she realised that the dragon had always been firm in his believe that Morgana was destined to be evil. But that night in the clearing he had said that Morgana held exactly the same position as Alina herself. She had the ability to make or unmake destiny. Something had changed, Alina decided, and it might be her doing. After all, the dragon seemed to have changed his opinion after she had insisted on talking with the sisters.

She returned her attention to the conversation. 'I don't think you'll have to worry about her either,' she told Arthur.

He eyed her warily. 'How can you be so certain?'

She sighed in irritation. 'Because the next thing in legend that will happen is not of Morgana's doing,' she told them.

Now Merlin frowned as well. 'That doesn't sound reassuring at all.'

She laughed. 'Stop your fretting, both of you. As long as you do exactly as I say, nothing can possibly go wrong.'

'I remember hearing that before,' Arthur muttered.

She had to laugh. A sulking Arthur was fun to look at. It was really amusing to see how he came up with all kinds of excuses why she could not go. Why he could not say that he didn't want her to go because he would miss her was beyond her. But then, this was still Arthur and he did not easily speak about his feelings.

'I'll miss you, too,' she said. 'But I'm only going to my family to pick up some of my stuff and visit some friends of mine. And it's only for a week. Surely you can keep yourself out of trouble for a few days? Besides, my father is going to send a search party if I don't show my face anytime soon. I was supposed to visit them as soon as I could.'

Her worries about Morgana and the king's still fragile health had kept her in Camelot, but the last two weeks had been entirely uneventful, so she had announced she was going to visit her family two days ago at dinner. All was well in the city and if Merlin actually listened to her this time, there would be no trouble with a goblin either.

Now that reminded her. 'Merlin, I would very much like you to not open any boxes in my absence, not if you don't exactly know what's in them anyway.'

Not only Merlin gave her a very confused look, but so did Arthur. 'That's it?' he questioned. 'Merlin mustn't open any boxes? What on earth is that supposed to mean?'

She shrugged. 'Exactly what I said.'

Both men frowned. 'And what happens if Merlin does open a wrong box?' Arthur demanded.

'Let's hope you don't have to find out, shall we?' She gave him a parting kiss and climbed on her horse. 'I'll see you in a week. Try to keep out of trouble.'

**Merlin**

Merlin made his way to the library later that day. He had no idea what Alina had been talking about, but he didn't worry really. He didn't have any boxes and neither did Arthur, so staying away from them should be easy enough. No, he worried more about the amount of chores he had been given, by Gaius this time.

Arthur had recently begun giving him the afternoon off every now and then, so that he could study. Arthur had taken the news of him being a sorcerer really well. Probably he had shouted enough when he found out about Alina. That had not been pretty, but he was glad that he did not have to endure the same thing.

Arthur was really being nice with those afternoons off, the only problem was that Gaius claimed a lot of that time. So now he was walking to the library to collect some book Gaius needed or just wanted to read.

The library was huge and Merlin did not have a clue as to where he was supposed to start looking, so he walked straight to Geoffrey of Monmouth to ask for directions. Gaius always said that that man knew the exact location of every book and Merlin was about to put that theory to the test.

He stopped before his desk and had already opened his mouth to ask about the book, when Geoffrey raised his hand and beckoned him to be silent, while he read whatever interesting text he might be reading.

Only when he had finished that about a minute later, in which Merlin was tapping his foot impatiently, he looked up. 'Yes?'

'Gaius asked me to fetch a book,' he replied, glancing at the paper in his hand for the title. 'The eh… Bestiary of Gwilum of Cambria?' Even the title sounded boring and Merlin was extremely glad he didn't have to read it. It was a mystery why Gaius would want it.

'The Bestiary?' Geoffrey's face lighted up, like this was some kind of pleasant surprise. 'I haven't seen that for many years.'

Oh no. Was he supposed to search the entire library for that book?

'It'll be somewhere in the east wing. I have no idea where,' the old man added.

Well, that was a small consolation, he supposed. Now he only had to search half the library. He sighed and then walked away.

'East… is that way,' Geoffrey called after him, pointing in the opposite direction.

Merlin stopped, turned and smiled as if this was what he had planned all along, whilst trying to hide his blush. Really, he was supposed to be the greatest warlock of all times. How could he, of all people, mess up the directions? It was a good thing Arthur wasn't here or he would have laughed so hard he wouldn't be able to remain on his feet.

He walked through the east wing of the library, wondering how he was supposed to find one book when there were so many. Then he decided that the row he had just passed was as good a place to begin as any, so he started to check each and every title on every bookcase.

He was really lucky today, he thought as he spotted the Bestiary in the third bookcase, as dusty as he had no doubts the text inside it was. The only minor drawback was that it was sitting on the top shelf, almost touching the ceiling. There was no way he could ever get there, well, not without using magic and somehow using magic in the middle of Camelot in broad daylight did not seem like the best idea to him.

'Great,' he moaned.

There was only one option open to him. He made sure Geoffrey was nowhere to be seen and then he started to climb the shelves. He had a feeling it would not be appreciated if anyone saw that, so he tried to be as silent as possible.

But of course the shelves weren't exactly made for climbing and there was very little space to place his feet. It didn't take long before he felt himself slipping away. He grabbed a shelf with his hands, whilst his feet were searching for something to stand on.

He was about to breathe out in relief when his right foot found a shelf to support him, when the shelf suddenly gave way and the whole bookcase, including the piece of wall behind it, started to turn. Merlin could do nothing else but holding on for dear life. Only as the wall stopped moving he looked around him again.

He now found himself in a room that looked like there had not been someone for decades. It was dusty and by the look of it the spiders had been busy in this place as well. It was filled with all kind of objects. It looked like some kind of storage room, only Merlin thought he knew all of those in the castle.

There were a few statues, some cupboards and even books. Merlin walked over to one, removing the dust and opening it. To his surprise he found that it was a book of magic. His face split into one of his massive grins. He couldn't wait to show this one to Alina. She would be thrilled.

But if there was one book of magic, who was to say there weren't more of them? Uther had no knowledge of this room, Merlin was sure, so there might be more magic books just lying around here. The tricky part would be to get them out of here to his room, but that was something he would worry about later.

He crossed the room, but accidentally kicked against some cylinder shaped box lying on the ground. And then he heard the strangest thing. Something groaned.

Merlin stopped dead. He was quite sure the sound had come out of that box. But he also remembered Alina saying not to open any boxes, especially when he didn't know what it contained. No, he would leave that box in peace and no harm would be done. Besides, if he opened it Alina would most likely bite his head off, not to mention what Arthur would do.

The thing in the box continued to groan and even move and Merlin's determination wavered. Whatever, or even whoever, was in that box was alive. Or was it just a trick, something he had triggered by walking into it?

His doubt disappeared when someone talked to him. 'Oi!' it called in very irritated voice.

Oh, now he was certain there was someone in it. But he couldn't take it out now, could he? Alina had not exactly told him what would happen if he opened a wrong box, but he was sure it wouldn't be pretty.

But then, whoever was trapped inside this box was alive and you couldn't keep a living being locked inside a box, now, could you? That was downright cruel and surely that had not been what Alina had meant? No, she would want him to open the box and let the poor thing out. Besides, this didn't even look much like a box. Boxed were not cylinder shaped. So, deciding that this wasn't even a real box and that meant that he could open it, he muttered a spell and the lid opened.

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. The box looked like it was empty. He bended over to see if something was sitting on the bottom and then got the shock of a lifetime.

Suddenly a small, green-skinned creature jumped out of the box, standing on the lid. Merlin fell on the ground, looking startled at whatever it might be that was looking at him now. It looked kind of human, though not quite. There was the green skin to begin with. There were the big pointy ears for another. But it had arms and legs and a face and even seemed to be intelligent.

'Boo!' it said mischievously as it glanced down at the shocked warlock.

Merlin gasped. He already began to regret his decision to open the box. Maybe this was exactly what Alina had been talking about. And he, the fool that he was, had ignored her words and set the creature free all the same.

Some time had passed as he lied there, simply staring.

'Are you going to say something or shall I?' the creature said. Well, at least that answered the question about its intelligence.

'You can speak,' Merlin managed to say.

Should he be trying to get this creature back in the box? After all, it was a living being. To lock it again in such a cramped space would be cruel.

'You're a sharp one,' it commented. Merlin thought, judging by the sound of the voice, that it was male. It stretched a bit. 'I can't tell you how good it feels to do this.' Merlin could understand that, but he wished it would make a little less noise. Geoffrey wasn't deaf and this room couldn't be too far away from his desk.

He brought his fingers to his lips. 'Shh!' he said.

It seemed to have the opposite effect. 'I have been squished and squashed inside that box for more than fifty years,' it declared loudly. 'Time to have some fun.'

Uh oh. Now that did not sound promising, at all. And he knew that Alina had been right. Opening that box had been the worst idea of the decade.

If he did need any more proof for that thought, the creature was giving it to him now. It jumped from the box on top of one the nearby cupboards, throwing objects on the ground and across the room, yelling in enjoyment as it did so. It was only a matter of time before Geoffrey would hear something and then he would be in more trouble than he could stomach.

Merlin tried to go for a different approach. He caught one of the jars it was throwing down and forced his face into a smile. 'Have fun,' he said. 'But quietly. Just _very_ quietly,' he added as the creature, Merlin started to wonder what exactly it was, threw more objects his way, that he could only just dodge. This thing's aim was a lot better than Arthur's.

He now knew for certain that letting it out had been a very bad idea. The creature was softly pushing against a large vase that stood atop a cabinet, now threatening to fall off at the slightest pressure.

The creature smiled mischievously. 'Uh oh,' it said, teasing him.

Merlin now tried to mimic Arthur's most stern expression. 'No!' he ordered, trying to sound like he was completely in control of the situation, which he obviously wasn't.

Deciding that the stern approach wasn't going to work, he settled for an apologetic, almost begging voice. 'You are going to get us both into serious trouble.'

The creature obviously couldn't care less. It smirked and then dropped the vase anyway. The sound of it shattering against the floor was surely loud enough to reach the old librarian's ears. Merlin moaned internally. Why did I not listen to Alina in the first place? He knew the answer to that question. He had thought he knew better than her. He should have known by now that he didn't. Every time he had thought so, it had resulted in complete chaos. It didn't look like this would be an exception.

'Oh dear, what a shame, never mind,' the creature said, looking very pleased with itself.

That was it. That thing was going back inside that box, right now, before it could cause any serious damage. 'Right, that's it!' he snapped, now truly angry, something that probably closely resembled Alina's infamous run-and-hide look on his face. 'You are going back in that box while I…' Yes, just while he was what exactly? 'Work out what to do with you,' he finished. That would probably be just lock it back inside and never let it out again. There was a good reason that thing had been in that box for well over fifty years, he now knew. Another fifty years wouldn't really be a problem, in Merlin's opinion.

To his surprise the creature did not object. He looked very disappointed and sad, but at least he agreed to do as Merlin asked. _Thank goodness for that_, Merlin thought. 'All right,' it said. 'If I really must.'

It moved back to the box, trying its hardest to appear as miserable as could be, but Merlin wasn't fooled.

'In,' he ordered.

For a moment it looked like he had ended this unfortunate adventure well, but then the creature jumped on his head, laughing loudly. 'Fooled you!' it exclaimed, before taking off again, disappearing between all the mess in the room.

_Oh no, Alina's going to kill me_, Merlin thought. He could almost picture her face as she found out about this. That was not a conversation he wanted to have.

There was only one way to prevent her from giving him the longest lecture in history about ignoring a direct order. Merlin even had to admit that she would be right in doing so. After all, she had warned him not to open boxes. No, he really had to get this creature safely back inside this box before anyone could find out about this.

'Stop messing around!' he called after it in a hushed voice.

The result was practically non-existent. The creature threw more objects around, making a lot of noise that someone was bound to hear.

Well, there was just no way this thing would get back in his box out of his own free will. That meant that he had to catch it. Oh dear, he started to wish he had told Gaius to go and get his own book. Then he would have never ended up here and then he would not have been tempted to open that box.

The creature moved towards the end of the room, groaning, laughing and throwing things around as it went. Merlin found it standing before a chest, poking around it, making 'nah, nah, nah' noises as it looked at objects and then threw them away again, as they were clearly not what it was looking for.

It was distracted now. A better chance than this he was not going to get. Merlin grabbed a blanket off a nearby cabinet and approached the creature from behind as quietly as he could. He had to dodge a few objects to avoid detection, but he managed it, standing right behind it in the end.

He grinned in triumph. This was going to end before anyone noticed that something was wrong. 'I've got you!' he announced, throwing the blanket over the creature.

A few moments they struggled, but Merlin got him now and he was not going to let go. He was stronger, too, so there was no question of who was going to win this fight.

Or maybe there was. Because suddenly the blanket was empty. Oh no, this was not just any creature, it was a creature of magic! Merlin groaned. That meant this thing could be anywhere by now. There was no knowing where it had gone to.

Even though he knew it was no use, he lifted the blanket, in the hope that it might be somewhere under there. Maybe it had magically shrunk itself or something like that.

It turned out that it had. The thing Merlin had not been counting on, however, was that it could also fly. A small, golden ball rose up from the ragged blanket, humming with the creature's voice (who sounded very pleased). Merlin tried to catch it again, but it was nu use. It was just as fast in this form as it had been in its bigger one. It escaped his reaching hands all too easily and made it through the secret door.

'Oh no!' Merlin exclaimed. He dreaded to think what would happen now.

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**Morgana is returning for the next chapter, which should be up Sunday. In the meantime, let me please know what you think.**


	65. Chapter 65

**Hello everyone. Here's the next chapter for you. I hope, as always, that you enjoy it and please let me know what you think.**

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**Chapter 65**

**Arthur**

Arthur was eating an apple as he walked back to his chamber. This surely wasn't his best day in a while. Well, to be quite sure, it was his worst day in three whole weeks, that is to say, the worst day since Alina had returned and Cenred's army had been defeated.

He blamed his bad mood on her absence. Of course he knew that she had to go and visit her family someday. He couldn't keep her away from them forever, but he wished he could have gone with her. He felt complete when he was with her. When she was gone, it felt like an essential part of him had gone missing, only to turn up when she returned.

It did nothing to improve his mood that he had to sit through a near endless council meeting. Lord Harold had gone out of his way to annoy him, which most definitely had something to do with him saying that the nobleman had to shut up when he had said something particularly nasty about his fiancée the previous week. He was glad the meeting was finally over.

He was wondering about Alina's last piece of advice before she left. Merlin was not to open any boxes. She hadn't explained this any further and Arthur found himself distracted all day, trying to riddle out what it could possibly mean. He knew Morgana didn't have anything to do with whatever was supposed to happen (or not supposed to happen, in Alina's opinion) at this point in time. He trusted her when she said that, so he would go back to worrying about her behaviour later.

Right now, the only thing he was worrying about was how long it would take Merlin to make him a bath. With his powers it wouldn't be too much trouble, he knew. Last week it had only taken him five minutes, but Arthur was sure he could do it faster.

It still was a strange idea to have a very powerful warlock for a servant. The prince had long suspected that Merlin used magic to get all his chores done in time, so now that it was all out in the open, Arthur had told the younger man that he may well continue using magic for them, in his presence.

He did not know what he had suspected, but somehow it hadn't involved the floor scrubbing itself, his armour polishing itself and all the stray objects flying back to their proper places, while Merlin had made himself comfortable on his chair, reading one of Alina's new books.

Upon seeing Arthur's disbelieving face, the servant had simply shrugged. 'What?' he demanded. 'You said yourself I could use magic to do my chores. Now I am.'

'I said you could use magic, I didn't say you could sit around all day, reading a book,' he had retorted.

'I'm studying,' Merlin said.

Arthur grinned. 'Well, the time for studying is over,' he announced. 'So get off that little bottom of yours and make yourself useful. My horses have not been mucked out today.'

Arthur knew that had been a little unkind and Alina had lectured him about it later. But it had been a lot to take in, even though he knew Merlin had probably been doing this for years, and he needed a break. Besides, he needed to know that some things were still as they always had been and mucking out the stables was something the servant could not use magic for. There were always too many people who could see him do it, so that needed to be done the old-fashioned way.

But today he didn't mind the magic anymore. In fact, he had become quite used to it. And there was no denying that having a servant that was a powerful warlock at the same time had its uses. He didn't have to worry about his safety in battles anymore _and_ he was guaranteed that his bathwater always had the right temperature.

Today, however, there was something not right. As he walked in the corridor leading to his room he saw the most complete chaos he had ever seen, and that included his own room after Merlin had not been in for two days. There wasn't an object in the entire passage that had not been thrown over. Candleholders, shields, flowers and jars alike were lying scattered around the floor and amidst all the chaos was Merlin.

Arthur sighed. What on earth had happened now? Alina was right, that guy attracted trouble. He had no doubt the sorcerer in disguise had something to do with all this mess and he was going to find out what exactly.

Merlin had not even seen him. He sprinted to the door of Arthur's room, which was open, a look of absolute horror on his face.

'No, no, no, no, no,' Arthur heard him mutter under his breath as he ran into the room. It almost appeared as if he was chasing someone.

Arthur frowned. Alina hadn't even been gone for six hours and the chaos had already returned to Camelot. It made him wonder how they had lasted two whole years without her if they didn't even seem to make it through a single day without getting into trouble. He only hoped that this just wasn't the result of Merlin opening a box he wasn't supposed to open.

He followed Merlin into the room and was met by an even greater chaos than the one in the corridor. Once upon a time he might have held his servant responsible for this, but the look on Merlin's face banished every thought of such a thing. He had looked too panicked, yes, almost scared. And now he was lying in front of the bed, reaching under it.

Arthur shook his head. What on earth was he supposed to make of this? 'Merlin,' he said, trying to sound friendly.

The warlock looked up, startled. He had a guilty look about him.

Arthur sighed. Perhaps he had been wrong. Maybe his servant really was to blame for all of this. 'I really hope for your sake you have a good explanation for this,' he said, arms folded over his chest.

Merlin seemed to think about it and then tried to smile. 'I… do have a good explanation,' he replied.

Arthur knew that meant he was thinking of an explanation right now and so he waited.

Merlin got to his feet again, keeping the smile plastered on his face. 'I'm spring cleaning,' he declared.

_Honestly?_ he thought. For someone with such a great secret Merlin really was the worst liar in existence. Did he truly believe Arthur was going to buy that ridiculous story?

'It isn't spring,' he pointed out. 'And it certainly isn't clean,' he added, taking in the state of the room. As it was, it was anything _but_ clean.

'That's because I've only just started.' Merlin forced out a laugh that didn't convince Arthur for a second. He did get the feeling there was something wrong about all of this. Merlin wasn't looking at him at all, instead his gaze was focused at a point somewhere behind his left shoulder and his expression became worried again. 'Yes, you just wait until I've finished,' he said, sounding like he was in a hurry. 'You'll be able to eat your dinner of the floor.'

Arthur could not help but look disgusted at that idea.

'Not that you'd want to,' Merlin added.

This statement was followed by an awful lot of noise in the corridor. Arthur frowned. Was there something still standing that could been thrown over? He rather doubted it.

'What's that?' he wondered, turning and walking towards the door to find out.

Merlin sprinted past him. 'Why don't I go and see and you can make yourself comfortable.'

The massive grin on his face was even less believable than it already was and Arthur wasn't an idiot. 'Merlin!' he yelled. 'You are going to tell me what's going on, right now.' He hated ordering him around these days, but Merlin was definitely holding out on him and he hated it.

'Nothing,' Merlin lied, the grin still in place, although his eyes told Arthur he was really panicking by now.

It wasn't that hard to connect the dots. 'You haven't by any chance been opening any boxes, have you, Merlin?'

The shame and guilt were written all over his face. 'Ehm, well, about that…'

Arthur groaned in frustration. 'Please don't tell me that despite Alina's advice you still decided on opening a box of which you didn't know the contents?' Could anyone be truly _that_ stupid? Or was this just legend going back to normal, as it tended to do in Alina's absence?

'Well, it didn't look like a box!' Merlin defended himself.

Arthur couldn't help himself. 'Merlin, you idiot!' he exclaimed.

'I know,' Merlin moaned. 'I know!'

That was a start, he supposed. 'What came out of this box-that-didn't-look-like-a-box?' Arthur questioned.

'I don't know,' Merlin admitted. 'Something green-skinned, with pointy ears and earrings. It just started to throw things around and I couldn't get it back in the box and then it shrunk and went through a wall and…'

Arthur cut him off as he started to ramble. 'Are you saying that this is a creature of magic?' And of course this had to happen while the Court Sorceress was out of town and the powerful Emrys was having a panic attack. Why was he always supposed to be the sensible one around here?

Merlin nodded miserably. 'I'm afraid so.'

'Where has it gone to?' Arthur asked.

'I don't know,' Merlin said again.

Arthur forced himself to take deep breaths to calm himself, so he could think clearly. What he really wanted to do right now was to give Merlin a very detailed piece of his mind, but this clearly wasn't the time. There was a magical creature on the loose and by the looks of it, it could cause a lot of damage. Catching it was obviously a priority right now. So he stored away his anger for later and asked the most important question. 'How are we going to find it?'

Merlin looked thoughtful for a moment. 'We follow the mess?' he then suggested.

**Morgana**

Morgana's life had turned into a nightmare in the last two weeks. She had made the right choice in leaving Morgause, but it didn't do anything to lessen the pain that she felt. And she hated the fact that there was absolutely nothing she could do to change the current situation. Alina had made it quite clear that her sister would die if she were to do anything that could threaten Camelot.

Morgana hated her nowadays. If she would not have come back, her plan to dethrone Uther would have succeeded and then she wouldn't have to hide who she really was anymore. She would have Morgause, she would have her freedom. Right now, she had nothing and it was all Alina's fault.

The last two weeks had also revolved around the question of what she was supposed to do with her life now that she couldn't follow the path she had chosen. She knew she could not go back to living the empty life of the king's ward, as she had done before Morgause rescued her, but she did not know what other option she had. Helping to protect Camelot, like Alina and Merlin did, was not an option, she knew that much.

She went out for a ride that day. She found that usually a nice pastime. On horseback she could experience a little of the freedom that she had now lost. It wasn't ideal, but it was something, she supposed.

She knew there was something wrong as she walked in the corridor that led to her room. Candleholders, jars, tables and even the decorating shields were scattered all over the place. Alina would say that it was as if a hurricane went through it. And as much as Morgana hated her these days, she had to admit that there was no better way of phrasing it.

Morgana frowned as she saw that the door leading to her room was open. She never did that. She always locked her door whenever she left. And Gwen would close the door as well if she was in. On top of that, she heard a man's voice. It reminded her a little of Dragoon's voice and for a moment she feared he had come back to make her life even more miserable, but then she decided that he sounded different.

She listened more carefully now. It sounded like that whoever was in her room was busy making as big a mess of it as the hallway. 'Nearly, nearly, nearly,' she could hear him saying. Each 'nearly' was followed by the clattering of something solid against the ground.

She was going to call the guards, she decided. There was no way she was going into her room now, and if she was, most certainly not alone.

She had her mouth already opened, when Merlin and Arthur came running into the corridor, both looking horror-struck and slightly out of breath. They stopped dead, taking in the state of the corridor, but neither of them noticed her at the end of it.

'Oh no!' Merlin exclaimed as he saw the door leading to Morgana's chamber was opened.

'I'm going to kill it,' Arthur vowed.

They broke into a run, entering her room. Morgana's curiosity overcame her and she followed them, intrigued in spite of herself. She was just in time to see the men skidding to a stop again.

'No!' Merlin ordered.

Morgana tried to see who he was talking to. She blinked a few times. What on earth was that? In front of her mirror, poking around in her jewellery box, was a strange looking creature with a green skin and black tattoos. She had no idea what this was, but it was causing a lot of trouble, to be sure!

When she looked closer she saw that the creature was holding her healing bracelet and she almost got a heart attack. That thing didn't look like he was going to give it back and that was the last link she had to Morgause.

'Aah,' the creature said. It sounded annoyed.

It leaped off the chair and made for the window, but it hadn't counted on Arthur. The prince threw himself forward and collided with the green-skinned monster in mid-air. Both of them came down on the stone floor. Morgana could swear she could hear some of Arthur's bones breaking, but she couldn't be sure.

She was frozen in place. This didn't even feel like it was real, but it had to be. She was quite sure she wasn't dreaming or hallucinating.

Arthur groaned in pain and the creature used the time he gave him to make another try for the window. This time it was Merlin that stopped him. He jumped at the creature, grabbing it at its legs, jerking it away from the open window and swinging it against the bedpost.

The green monster groaned, but not in pain. It was frustration. Morgana saw that it was still holding her bracelet and that snapped her out of her frozen state. She ran to the window and closed it.

'Give it back!' she demanded.

The creature cocked its head, looking at her with sad eyes. 'All right,' it said. 'If I really must.'

'Don't listen to it, Morgana!' Merlin warned her.

She took half a second to process that he actually warned her. Now, why would he do that? It wasn't like he cared about her.

Besides, he was probably lying anyway. The creature was walking towards her, although with some reluctance, but he was obeying her. Maybe you just needed to be stern with it to get it to obey. That would be why it didn't work with Merlin, being the servant that he was. He wasn't used to giving orders. Morgana, however, was born to do it.

'Hand it over,' she commanded, holding out her hand.

It looked at her with such a sad expression that she almost felt pity for it. It looked like it was a very lonely being, a lot like her, really. Being lonely was something she could relate to. It made you do the strangest things.

'Right now,' she added as she saw the creature hesitated.

The next moment it had leaped up, jumping on her shoulders and pulling her hair, yelling and laughing in pleasure. 'Fooled you, fooled you, fooled you,' it exclaimed in a sing-song voice.

'Get off her!' someone shouted. The monster was pulled from her shoulders and thrown into a corner with a lot of force behind it.

She turned to face her rescuer and found herself looking into the deep blue eyes of Arthur's servant. There was worry to be seen there. She blinked. Now that couldn't be true, could it? She remembered all too clearly how he had looked at her when she caught him eavesdropping on her conversation with Morgause. He had most certainly not cared for her then.

Without her having to ask for it, her mind then presented her with another moment and she flashed back in time. She was lying on the ground, choking as the result of a poison Merlin had given her. Disbelief, anger and fear rushed through her. Why had he done it? Oh, good heavens, she was going to die here! How could Merlin, _Merlin_ of all people, do this to her? Weren't they friends? But as she looked up at him she saw the tears in his eyes and she could hear his voice whispering. 'I'm so sorry…'

Another moment popped up and she found herself standing in the crypts again. Merlin was standing before her, sword in hand, pleading with her not to go through with this.

'Do you believe I deserve to be executed because of who I am?' she had asked him, unable to hold herself back from asking. She may hate him now, but she needed to know if the man who once was her friend felt the same way.

He had looked at her in shock. 'No!' he exclaimed. She could hear the _of course not_ in his tone.

Could anyone fake such a reaction? At the moment she had certainly believed so, but now she wasn't so sure anymore. What if, even after all that had happened, after all that he had done to her, he still cared?

'It doesn't have to be like this,' he begged softly, not just with his voice, but most especially with his eyes. There was such grief there, such sadness. 'We can find another way,' he added. Not you, not I, but we, he said. Like the team they once used to be. Before he had poisoned her.

That made up her mind. 'There is no other way,' she had told him. At that moment she had believed those words with all her heart. Now? She didn't know.

The memories took up almost no time at all. She didn't think more than a few seconds could have passed before she was snapped back into reality.

'Stop it!' Arthur yelled.

They broke eye contact and saw that the creature had gotten to its feet again, still holding her bracelet. 'Whoo!' it yelled as it made for the window again. During her struggle with the thing she had accidentally moved away from it and now they were too late to get to it. It jumped through the glass, shattering it, but it didn't seem hurt at all.

All three of them arrived at the window a second later, looking down into the courtyard, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. It had gotten away… with her healing bracelet.

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**Yes, I've involved Morgana in all this. Do you think that was a good choice? Let me know, please!**


	66. Chapter 66

**Here's another chapter for you. There's more Morgana here for those who like it, so enjoy and please let me know what you think.**

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**Chapter 66**

**Arthur**

The only reasonable thing to do was to go and see Gaius. Arthur believed it was Morgana who had suggested it. Arthur eyed her suspiciously as they made their way to the physician's quarters. There was something about her that he couldn't quite put his finger on, but he was determined not to trust her. Alina may have said that this thing was not of her making, but that did not mean that she was going to be nice and helping.

Merlin, however, was being nice to her. That was something Arthur did not really understand. Merlin knew as well as he did, and probably even more, how much Morgana had changed and how unreliable she was these days.

Arthur had difficulty hating the woman who he once was so close to, but he at least strongly disliked her now, strong enough to make him wish the creature had tormented her a little longer.

He was shocked by his own thoughts. True, he may be pretty handy with a sword, but he was not a violent person. He had to have faith in Alina when she said everything was going to be all right in the end. Arthur had to agree with her. Everything was going to be fine, if only they could get this creature out of Camelot before his fiancée would get back. She wasn't going to let them live if she found out about this. It wouldn't matter if Merlin was responsible, she would probably give all three of them the speech.

That brought his attention back to what they were going to do now. If Merlin didn't know the solution, than there was a big chance Gaius did. Arthur often associated the man with a walking library you could consult whenever you had a problem and he would tell you the answer right away. Arthur even remembered a time that he had believed the physician to be omniscient. Now that had faded, but he still was thoroughly impressed with the amount of knowledge he had gathered in his life.

Merlin knocked and then let them in. Gaius had been standing at his bench, examining one of his books, but when he saw them, his expression turned to one of anger.

'What have you done?' he demanded, pointing at Merlin.

His servant tried to hide behind Arthur, but he didn't let him. This was, after all, Merlin's own fault and he was going to face it. Honestly, the greatest warlock of all time he may be, but he remained a coward.

'Nothing,' Merlin said, but the lie was really too obvious to miss.

Gaius didn't buy it. 'Then why has Uther gone bald all of a sudden, if I may ask?' The old physician had narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

Morgana looked thoroughly confused. Oh, of course, she didn't know about Merlin's magic! He had forgotten that for a minute, maybe because she did know that his alter ego did have magic. Gaius might want to watch his tongue. Arthur was quite sure she would not use that information to plot against Camelot again, but nothing would stop her from telling his father and Arthur did not think that the king was quite ready for another sorcerer in the castle, especially not so shortly after being magically shaven.

'Don't look at me!' Merlin exclaimed. 'I didn't do it!'

'Then who did?' Gaius questioned.

'I have not been near the king for days,' Merlin answered, truthfully this time.

'Hmm,' Gaius said.

Before the old man could go on about this and increase Morgana's curiosity even further, Arthur spoke up. 'I think we may have come across a creature who would think this kind of thing funny,' he said.

Now Gaius's gaze turned to him. Arthur could hear Merlin breathe out in relief. 'What kind of creature?' he asked.

'A small, green one,' Arthur replied. 'With big pointy ears.'

'With earrings,' Merlin added.

'And black tattoos,' Morgana supplied.

Gaius looked at her as if he saw her for the first time now and his face became instantly more reserved. Arthur wasn't surprised that he also knew of her betrayal. Merlin probably told him everything.

'My lady,' he acknowledged.

'That creature has stolen my bracelet,' she said. 'And I want to get it back.'

'We'll have to find the thief first,' Arthur reminded her.

'I know that!' she snapped, sounding almost like the Morgana he knew and loved. That person had simply loved to snap at him for almost no reason at all.

'It's a creature of magic,' Merlin interrupted. 'It can shrink itself and fly through solid walls.'

Gaius frowned. 'Where did it come from so suddenly?'

'A box,' Merlin muttered, avoiding his mentor's eyes. 'In an unused room near the library.'

There was a short moment of silence before Gaius started yelling. 'What have I told you, boy? Don't you ever listen to me?'

_Nope_, Arthur thought. _If he doesn't listen to Alina, he won't listen to you either._

'Wait!' Morgana said, turning to Merlin. '_You_ released it?'

'I didn't mean to!' Merlin tried to defend himself.

'You are the reason my bracelet is stolen,' Morgana insisted and Arthur had to admit that she was not completely wrong on that one. Merlin could have prevented all of this by actually listening to Alina for a change.

'Do you know what it is, Gaius?' he wondered.

Gaius's way of answering this question was to grab a book from another table and open it. All three of them walked over and watched over his shoulder as the old physician slowly turned the pages, showing all kinds of magical creatures.

He paused at some, asking them if this was the creature, but they weren't it. Arthur had already started to wonder if their creature was even in this book, when Gaius turned the page again and he found himself staring at a drawing of the trouble-maker.

'That's it!' he exclaimed, pointing at the picture.

'It seems you have unleashed a goblin!' Gaius said to Merlin. The creature's name was spoken almost in horror.

Arthur really had a bad feeling about this. Apparently, so had Merlin. 'I know that face,' he said. 'It's not good, is it?'

'Goblins are the most mischievous of creatures,' the old physician explained.

_We already knew that_, Arthur thought. He only had to think of the mess that had been made in the corridors and his own room to know that.

'Mischievous and dangerous,' Gaius added.

'Dangerous?' both Merlin and Morgana echoed.

'It didn't seem dangerous,' Merlin said dismissively.

Arthur disagreed. It not only did a lot of damage to the furniture, but it was also a thief. He guessed there was a reason why the goblin had taken Morgana's bracelet. He also guessed that they were in for a whole lot more trouble than they had anticipated. If only Alina were here to help them fix it. But then, he wasn't sure he wanted her to know about this. No, it would be better to lock this goblin back in its box before it could cause any more trouble.

'Believe me, Merlin,' Gaius said, very serious now. 'Goblins will stop at nothing to get their hands on the one thing they value above all others: gold.'

'There's gold on your bracelet, isn't there?' Arthur asked.

Morgana nodded. She seemed to have forgotten that she was angry with them. 'So that's why it took that particular bracelet?' she asked. 'Just because it has gold in it?'

Arthur got the idea that there was a reason why she asked that. Could it be that the bracelet had magical properties and that that was the reason the goblin had taken it? After all, Morgana had more golden jewellery than that bracelet.

Gaius nodded. 'Yes, my lady,' he said. 'May I ask what has become of the rest of your jewellery?'

'It's still in a box in the cupboard,' she replied. 'I don't think the goblin had the time to find it before it was interrupted.' That almost sounded like thanks. Maybe that conversation two weeks ago did have some effect after all.

'We must catch it before it does any real damage,' Gaius said.

If the chaos the goblin had already caused wasn't worthy of being called real damage, Arthur dreaded to think what was.

'We can set a trap,' Merlin suggested.

Arthur nodded. 'That's a good idea.'

The warlock grinned. 'Are you admitting that I actually had a good idea?'

Arthur snorted. 'Don't be ridiculous, Merlin. You never have good ideas,' he teased.

'How will we lure it into this trap?' Morgana wondered.

'We'll need gold,' Gaius said thoughtfully. 'And plenty of it.'

'I happen to have some,' Arthur pointed out. 'Would a chest full be enough?'

**Morgana**

Morgana kept telling herself that she had no business here. This wasn't her fight and she shouldn't make it hers. Yes, the goblin had stolen her healing bracelet, but she could live without it. What she was doing now came far too close to actually helping Camelot and Uther, something she had sworn never to do. And all this for a bracelet. She told herself once more how ridiculous this was.

Still, here she was, helping Arthur to lay a gold trail for the goblin in the hope it would lead him straight into their little trap. And yes, she was doing all this for a bracelet. It was her last link to Morgause and if she was really honest with herself, she couldn't bear to lose it. It reminded her of the one year that she had been happy. No matter how miserable she was now, no one could ever take that away from her.

'You think it's actually going to fall for this?' she asked doubtfully.

'You heard Gaius,' Arthur said, placing another coin on the floor. 'Goblins stop at nothing to get their hands on gold. It will not be able to resist the temptation.'

'He had better be right,' Morgana muttered under her breath.

'I really wish Alina was here,' Arthur sighed. 'I'm sure she would know how to deal with this.'

Ugh, of course perfect Alina had to come into the picture at some point. That was all she ever heard these days: Alina will know what to do, Alina will fix this. Arthur was as bad as Uther when it came to her.

She ignored his comment, knowing she would say something that she would regret if she didn't. Arthur was unaware of what had happened with her and she preferred to keep it that way. It was bad enough as it was, with both Alina and Merlin knowing.

She frowned. She wondered why Merlin had kept quiet about her. She had an uneasy feeling that Alina might have had something to with this. The Court Sorceress would be the only person to persuade him to do anything. How she hated the feeling of being in debt to the traitor.

Oh, speaking of the devil. Merlin came around the corner, almost bumping literally into Arthur.

'Why do you insist on being such a clumsy idiot, Merlin?' Arthur asked angrily, but Morgana knew that it was only just banter. Arthur was practically incapable of losing his temper with that boy.

'It's just one of my many gifts,' Merlin replied cheerfully. 'Anyway, Gaius wondered if you could lend him a hand.'

'Who will make the coin trail then?' Arthur said.

'I can, of course,' Merlin replied.

'And you are certain you will end up in the right place?' Arthur asked sceptically.

The servant looked offended. 'Of course, I'm not an idiot.'

'I beg to differ,' Arthur said, but he got up and walked away.

Merlin silently took his place and began placing coins on the floor. They worked together like this for a few minutes, until his presence made her so nervous that she had to speak up.

'I can do this alone,' she said, trying to sound not too hostile.

He looked at her, sadness in his eyes again. 'Do you really hate me so much, Morgana?'

This had her thinking. Did she hate him? For the poison he had given her, yes, she hated him. But still, his words from that day were echoing in her mind. _I am so sorry…_ And she could not deny that she wanted those words to be true. He had always been such a good friend to her and now she found that she wanted, no, needed a friend. After losing Morgause she had no one and she missed having a companion, someone who she could confide in. There was no such person now, but she was quite sure she didn't want it to be Merlin, not after what he did to her.

'Yes,' she said. 'Yes, I hate you. Now leave.'

He ignored that command. 'You hate me for giving you the poison,' he stated softly. It wasn't an accusation, he was just stating a fact.

The words were leaving her mouth before she had given them permission to do so. 'Of course I do!' she all but shouted. 'You cast me aside without a moment's thought. You needed your leverage with Morgause, never mind that I was your friend!'

His expression darkened and it made him almost look dangerous. 'That's what you think, Morgana?' he snarled. 'You think I poisoned you so that I could get Morgause to call off the attack?'

She snorted. 'Isn't that true, then?' she demanded.

'Of course not!' He was yelling now, too. 'Yes, I used you as leverage, but that was not the reason I poisoned you.'

He was lying now, she knew. He had been lying about so many other things. But it would be fun to see him trying to talk his way out of this. 'And what, pray, was the true reason?' she asked in a mocking voice, making it obvious that she did not believe a single word he was saying.

He looked her right in the eyes. 'Did you never wonder why you weren't affected when every other person in the castle started falling asleep?' he questioned.

She looked to the ground, unable to meet his eyes any longer. There was such sincerity in them and she could not bear it. It would be so much easier if she could continue to believe he was lying. _What?_ she thought a second later. He _was_ lying. There wasn't even a possibility of him telling the truth.

But the uneasiness stayed, because she had asked herself that question, countless times that single day. In the end she had assumed that Morgause had been protecting her from the spell out of sisterly love. She now wondered why she had never actually asked her.

'Morgause protected me,' she replied at last, trying and failing to make it sound like a simple fact.

Merlin snorted. 'Morgause protected you, all right.' He laughed a humourless laugh. 'You were the source of the spell, Morgana,' he told her. 'Your presence made the people fall asleep.'

'That's a lie!' she said automatically. But a shiver went down her spine. What if…? She recalled falling asleep in the forest, with Morgause walking around her, chanting a spell. No, surely not…

'Is it also a lie that those closest to you were the first ones to be affected?' he questioned. 'Is it also a lie that Arthur and I only became affected by it after we found you?'

'It's a coincidence,' she insisted, but it didn't sound convincing, not even to her own ears.

Merlin wasn't fooled either. 'The only way to break her enchantment was to destroy the vessel to which it was bound, you!' he went on, tears in his eyes. Morgana wondered if she was the only one to relive that horrible day. 'You think I took pleasure in doing what I had to do? You think that I wanted to murder you?'

His use of the word murder caught her attention. That word implied that he looked upon his own actions as a crime, something wrong. Somewhere deep down a little voice told her that he would not have used that particular word if he didn't mean it, especially since he just blurted it out. He did not have the time to stop and think about it.

She blinked, but could not find the words. She would not believe him, not a word, she promised herself.

'I had to, Morgana!' he almost begged. 'I didn't want to, but I couldn't let Camelot fall.'

She hated that attitude. She already knew he went to the extreme to make sure that Arthur and Camelot were safe, although only heaven knew why. It wasn't as if his life here was so good. She would even have said that life in Ealdor had been better for him.

'How noble of you,' she sneered. 'Moving, really.' Her expression darkened. 'Now stop the lying. I've heard enough of this. You know it wasn't like that. You poisoned me so that you had something to bargain with.' With her eyes she dared him to contradict this.

He didn't even try. Instead he chose a different approach altogether. 'Did Morgause tell you that?' he asked.

That took her aback. 'Yes.'

'And you believed her?'

'Yes,' she said again, whilst trying to work out what he was playing at. She had the idea that not the goblin, but she herself was being lured into a trap, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She had to play along until she could break free.

'Why?' Merlin questioned.

'Because she is my sister,' she replied immediately. Morgause would never lie to her. Ever.

Merlin smiled a little sad smile that reminded her of Alina. 'And she has been as truthful in everything else?'

The trap was closing, she could feel it. But she was too deep in now. There was no escaping it and she started to panic. 'Yes,' she snapped.

'Then why did she not tell you that she was aware of the prophecies concerning the Once and Future King?' Merlin questioned. 'Then why did she not tell you she used you as the vessel for her sleeping spell?'

She could almost hear the trap closing behind her and there was nowhere left to run now.

'She must have had her reasons,' she replied. She was awfully aware how unconvincing her words sounded.

The expression on Merlin's face was not one that she could recall to have ever seen there before. It reminded her of Uther, commanding and cold. 'Yes,' he said. 'Like her not fully trusting you.'

Something inside her told her that this might be true. 'No!' she shouted, both at him and the voice. 'She trusts me!'

'Then why would she withhold information from you?'

She tried to escape the question. Merlin she could run from, but his words had taken root in her head and she could hear them, over and over again, until she thought she would go mad. She had to think about it and when she did, she almost immediately started wishing that she hadn't.

'He was using you, sister.' Morgause's voice, whispering in her ears.

'In what way?'

'He poisoned you, to have something to bargain with.' A hand on her shoulder. 'I am sorry, sister. I know you saw him as a friend.'

'He is no friend of mine.'

And then Merlin's voice penetrated her mind again. 'The only way to break her enchantment was to destroy the vessel to which it was bound, you! You think I took pleasure in doing what I had to do? You think that I wanted to murder you?' So passionate, so regretful.

Morgause again. 'The Once and Future King, you say? No, I have never heard of those, sister.' Morgana remembered something now, a flash of something in her beloved sister's eyes. She had not been able to identify it then. But she also remembered Morgause's obvious knowledge of the prophecies only three days later. She wouldn't have had the time and opportunity to learn all about them in such limited time.

This realisation crashed down on her with the force of a lightning bolt and she collapsed. Morgause had lied to her. And if she had lied once, she could have lied more. Merlin was right. Her very own sister had not trusted her enough to share every bit of knowledge with her. Morgause didn't trust her enough.

Alina had trusted her, though. Morgana could remember all the conversations they had about magic and knowledge of future events. Alina had been vague about those, but at least she had not been ashamed to admit that she didn't dare to talk about those, with anyone. Morgause had lied about it.

She lost control then, sobbing, the mission to catch the goblin completely forgotten. She was only half aware of someone kneeling down in front of her. It didn't matter. Her whole world, everything that she had been sure of, had come crumbling down, leaving her empty and broken.

Arms locked around her and she laid her head on the offered shoulder, simply grateful for the comfort. The person holding her didn't say a word for a very long time, but at last he spoke. Her sobs were so loud that at first she didn't hear the words or even recognized the voice, but as she calmed down a little, she heard.

'I am so sorry, Morgana,' he said softly, still holding her. 'Please forgive me. I am so, _so_ sorry for what I did to you. I should have thought of another way. I should never have poisoned you. I am so sorry.'

She was looking at a red neckerchief and the next moment she realised it was Merlin, the man she had sworn to hate for all eternity, telling her again and again how sorry he was.

Her feelings raged through her, too fast to make any sense of them. Did she hate him? She thought not, not anymore at least. Was she angry? Well, a little, she guessed. After all, not all the apologies in the world could change what he had done to her and she would never be able to forget it.

'Why?' she whispered. 'Why are you sorry? You hate me.' She hated to sound so weak and vulnerable, but she could not stop herself.

He held her at arm's length. 'I don't hate you,' he told her, looking her straight in the eyes. She could see that he meant it. 'How could I, Morgana? How could you think that I hated you?' He sounded like that was the most absurd idea he had heard in ages. Was it?

'You poisoned me,' she whispered.

'Not willingly,' he said. He never once looked away. 'But Camelot was in danger and I could not think of anything else. Arthur would have died had I not acted.'

That single sentence made her understand something. Merlin knew of the prophecies. With Alina as his closest friend, he must know. He had chosen to help her and, unlike Morgana, he had never strayed from his chosen path.

She remembered a time when she wanted to use her magic for the good of Camelot, the way Alina had been doing, and was still doing. Whatever happened to her to make her change her mind?

She knew the answer to that question. It had been Morgause. Morgause, the only one left of her family. Morgause, who had chosen to lie to her. Why would she stay loyal to her now?

For the first time she really understood why Merlin had acted as he did. The last remnants of her anger faded away in an instant. How could she remain angry with him? She wished she had half of his determination and loyalty. Had Arthur and Alina any idea how lucky they were to have him on their side? She had no one. She had lost Merlin's loyalty the moment she decided to side with Morgause, who had lied to her.

In the end it came all down to her lies and that was what eventually made up her mind on the subject. No, she wasn't quite ready to protect Camelot, but she would not stand in the way of those that did, not because of Morgause, but because of her.

'I know,' she replied, meaning the words for the first time.

There was only a hint of a smile on his face, but it was enough for her.

She looked down at her hands. 'Do you…?' she began, but she didn't finish the sentence. After all that had happened, Merlin would not be interested.

'What do you want to ask, Morgana?' he asked softly.

She pulled herself together and looked at him again. 'Do you think we could call a truce?' she asked. Not peace, not yet. Maybe one day, when she did have time to think it all through.

His face split into one of his massive grins. She could not recall when was the last time one of those had been directed at her. 'Yes,' he answered. 'Yes, of course.' He got up. 'We've got a goblin to catch, right?'

'Right,' she said. And when he offered her his hand she let him help her up.

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**I hope you liked it. Was it good, was it bad, were they all enough in character? Loved it, hated it? I'm not really sure, so reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	67. Chapter 67

**Hello everyone, here's chapter 67 already. Have fun reading it and let me know what you think.**

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**Chapter 67**

**Morgana**

They walked into the room where they would try to catch the goblin a little later than planned. Morgana was aware of Arthur eyeing them both with a little suspicion, but after a reassuring nod from Merlin he seemed to relax. Would it be possible that Merlin and Alina had informed Arthur of her changed allegiance? It would be the only reasonable explanation for his current behaviour.

But if that was the case, why hadn't he said anything? Had Alina forbidden him to speak? Morgana wouldn't put it past her. When it came to protecting Arthur, including shielding him from things he might not want to know, she was even more paranoid than Merlin.

'Everything is in place?' Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded. 'We placed all the coins on the floor,' he replied.

_And we talked and cried_, Morgana added in her mind. She was grateful Merlin did not feel the need to inform Arthur of their little talk. She needed to make up her own mind on the subject first.

And she was confused. She didn't think she had ever been so confused in her life. She kept glancing in Merlin's direction, without even knowing why she did that. She turned her head away whenever she caught herself doing it again.

'No sign of the goblin?' Arthur asked.

'Not yet,' Merlin reported.

'It will come,' Gaius assured them. 'The temptation will be too great to resist.'

Merlin smiled at her. 'We will get your bracelet back for you,' he promised her.

Morgana blinked. She had not thought about her bracelet for more than half an hour now. All thoughts of the piece of jewellery had been forced out of her head by the same person who now reminded her of it again. How strange this was.

She smiled back at him. 'I know.' They would force the goblin back in the box, get the bracelet back, clean up the mess and everything would go back to how it was.

She snorted the moment after she finished that thought. Who did she think she was fooling? Nothing was going back to normal. How could it after everything that had happened to her in the past hour? She wasn't likely to forget that conversation, or his arms around her for that matter.

Her thoughts were heading in a direction she wasn't sure she wanted them to go, but fortunately for her, everyone's attention was drawn by the sound of the goblin's voice.

'Aah, lovely gold!' it said, sounding like the happiest creature in the world.

_So much for saying that money doesn't make you happy_, Morgana thought sarcastically.

Merlin peeked around the corner. When he looked at them again, he looked positively disgusted.

'What is it?' Morgana asked.

'He's _licking_ it!' Merlin replied.

'Ugh, that's just revolting,' Arthur commented.

'I couldn't agree more,' Morgana said.

Arthur gave her a funny look. It wasn't that strange that she agreed with him, was it? Even when she had been on Morgause's side it wasn't as if her every word was meant to harm Camelot.

The goblin made noises of delight as he came closer to the room in which they were hiding and they quickly got out of sight. Arthur and Merlin both held up blankets to throw over it, Gaius held a box and Morgana was positioned behind the door, ready to slam it shut as soon as the creature was in the room. And she was sure it would want to get in. After all, there was a whole chest of gold standing in the middle of the room. Like Gaius had said, the temptation would be too great to resist.

The goblin came practically running into the room, drooling at the sight of the treasure, which was really disgusting. She understood the look on Merlin's face completely.

It didn't even look around it. Morgana would have expected it to be at least a little suspicious. After all, there was no way that all that gold just happened to stand there in the middle of the castle. But obviously this creature did not think it strange. It just ran towards the treasure, joy written all over its face.

'Now!' Merlin whispered.

The next moment she shut the door and locked it. Merlin and Arthur jumped forward and threw their blankets over it. What followed was a heavy struggle. The goblin may have lacked suspicion, but it knew how to fight. Arthur was very muscled, but even he had trouble holding on.

'Come on, Gaius!' Merlin urged. 'I can't hold it much longer.'

Gaius came closer, holding the box before him like it was some kind of shield. Morgana guessed she would have done exactly the same.

Merlin and Arthur attempted to move the creature closer to the box, but just as it started to look like they managed it, the struggle stopped and the blankets were suddenly empty.

'Where has it gone?' she wondered.

There was no need to answer that question. She had hardly finished her sentence, when what appeared to be a ball of light flew up from the ground. Maybe she would have believed it no more than that if she had not heard it hum in the goblin's voice. So that must be what Merlin had meant when he said that it could shrink and fly.

Now this was not good, not good at all. Gaius waved the box at it, looking like he was trying to catch an annoying insect and Merlin and Arthur were chasing it with their blankets. When this didn't work, Arthur dropped the blanket and grabbed his sword off the floor, swinging it at the creature.

This was probably the most effective method. Arthur was very skilled and almost unbeatable with a sword and he came very close a few times. But the goblin was fast, very fast and he dodged Arthur's attacks with ease.

The humming became more irritated as it could not find a way to get out of this place. Morgana was still standing in front of the door and she didn't plan on moving before they succeeded in doing what they came here to do. There were no other exits.

The goblin sounded downright furious as it started to realise that it was truly trapped. It still hummed in that weird little voice, but it was no longer amused. It started to speed up, flying, circling. Morgana knew enough of battles to know that it was trying to create a distraction. The men were getting confused by all this circling and eventually they accidentally knocked their heads against each other.

'Ow!' they exclaimed, falling to the ground.

The goblin took the chance and went straight for Gaius. The physician tried to dodge it, but he was too old. In almost no time at all the goblin flew into his face and disappeared out of sight.

_Oh no!_ Morgana thought. She had read the part of Gaius's book that discussed goblins and she had come to learn that goblins could also take possession of another person's body. She did not know what it was supposed to look like, but she guessed that this would be about it.

For the first time in months, years even, she found herself wishing that Alina was here to sort out this mess. That seemed to be her speciality.

She watched in shock as Gaius made a few weird expression, before looking completely normal again.

Could she have been wrong? 'Gaius?' she asked, a little uncertain.

Arthur and Merlin had gotten to their feet again, both of them rubbing their foreheads.

'Did you see where it went, Morgana?' Arthur asked.

She shook her head. 'No,' she lied, because she had no desire to explain what she had seen right now, especially not in front of a man who may well be possessed by the goblin. She had to play stupid for now. 'It was so fast. One moment it was there and the next it wasn't.'

Arthur seemed to buy it, but then, he could not recognize a lie if it was standing right in front of him. He turned to Gaius. 'Did you see where it went?'

Gaius smacked Merlin on the head. 'You let it escape, you stupid boy!' he exclaimed. 'And now you just stand there like a bag of potatoes. Go after it!'

This was wrong, Morgana knew. Oh, he sounded exactly like Gaius, but she was one hundred per cent sure that the real Gaius would never ever talk to Merlin like that, let alone hit him on the head. Instead of catching the goblin, they had only made it worse!

Even Arthur seemed to feel that there was something off about this. He frowned and narrowed his eyes. 'There is no need to be like that, Gaius,' he said in a stern voice.

'There is every need!' goblin-Gaius said. 'His stupidity let it escape.' He looked at Merlin again. 'Now, shoo!'

'It must have gotten under the door,' Morgana said. She was desperate for an escape. 'Why don't we go and see if we can find it?' She plastered a smile on her face, but she could tell that Merlin saw right through it. She only hoped he would come without a fight.

As it happened, Arthur saved the day. 'Did you see it?' he demanded.

'No, but I last heard the humming somewhere around here. It must have gotten under the door,' she insisted.

Arthur pushed her aside and opened the door. 'Then let's waste no more time!'

He marched out into the corridor and Morgana grabbed Merlin's sleeve and dragged him with her, away from the room.

**Merlin**

'What's going on?' Merlin demanded. He shook Morgana's hand off.

Something had happened in the short time after Arthur and he had knocked their heads together. The goblin had disappeared for starters and then both Gaius and Morgana had started to act strange. Gaius had hit him and shouted at him and that was something his mentor had never done before. Well, the shouting wasn't new. He did that all the time whenever Merlin did something stupid. No, it was the hitting that was strange. Gaius would never do that, not if he was in his right mind.

And then there was something wrong with Morgana as well. Merlin was pretty sure that she was helping them now, maybe even turning away from the dark path she had been following in the last year. But when he looked up again she had been wanting to get out of the room as quick as possible. And she had been lying. But she had also been… well, scared.

No, something was wrong and he was going to find out what that was.

'Morgana, what happened?' he asked. They were several corridors away from the room in which they had set the trap and Merlin wanted answers, and he wanted them now.

Morgana hesitated. 'I'm not sure,' she replied, biting her lip.

'What do you mean, you're not sure?' Arthur questioned. Merlin knew his boss well enough to know that he had very little patience with Morgana since he learned of her betrayal.

Merlin's attitude towards her had always been different, but even he had to admit that he felt like she was holding out on them.

'I think…,' she began. 'I think that Gaius is being possessed by the goblin. It flew straight in his face the moment you were both down and I think it doesn't know that I've seen it happening.'

Arthur stumbled backwards, as did Merlin. 'Is that even possible?' the warlock asked.

Morgana nodded. 'According to Gaius's books it is. I read about it.'

Arthur still did not believe a single word she was saying and if that conversation an hour ago had not happened, then maybe Merlin would not have believed her either. But as it happened, he had had that conversation and he had to admit that what Morgana was saying, sounded reasonable. It would explain Gaius's strange behaviour just now.

But the thought alone was horrifying. Because if Morgana was right, they had just succeeded in even making the problem worse than it was. As Gaius the goblin could do almost anything without being stopped. A green-skinned creature that had practically magic written all over it, that they could deal with. They could even explain that to Uther, as long as they didn't mention how it had gotten into Camelot. But explaining to the king that his most trusted advisor was possessed by a goblin, that would not be well received. And without the Court Sorceress here to back them up, it would not be believed either.

'That doesn't mean it is what happened to Gaius,' Arthur argued. Merlin much rather did not want to believe this himself, but Morgana's idea made an awful lot of sense. He tended to believe her, and not just because he desperately wanted to.

'What's wrong with you?' Morgana demanded. 'I have seen it happening! Why won't you believe me?'

'Well, let me think,' Arthur said sarcastically. 'Maybe that would be because you have lied about so many other things. What about your little story about how you defeated the army of the dead when Camelot was under attack?'

Morgana's face became as pale as a sheet. 'You know,' she whispered. She glanced at Merlin. 'Did he… tell you…?'

'Merlin hasn't told me anything,' the prince said. 'But it wasn't that hard to work it out once I started to pay attention. After all, it was a little strange that first I'm being told that Merlin defeated the army after he had to fight an unnamed traitor, when next you are being hailed as a saviour for something I know you didn't do.'

Merlin was glad that Arthur acknowledged that it had been him that had turned the tide of the battle. He had never mentioned it before. It felt good to be rewarded like this, even if it was only in words, though that would never be the reason why he acted as he did.

'Are you going to tell Uther?' Morgana asked in a small voice.

'How I wish I could!' Arthur exclaimed. 'But you know as well as I do that he would never believe me.'

'And Alina would personally strangle you if you did,' Merlin added.

'That as well.'

Morgana looked both sad and angry when she faced them. 'Alina doesn't care about me.' Merlin could tell she tried to sound angry, but what he heard above all was hurt. Morgana had lost all the friends she had ever had, and that included the princess.

'Oh, she does,' Arthur said, sounding disappointed. 'She is the only reason I haven't done anything to you… yet. Well, Alina and Merlin both, actually.'

Merlin had known, of course, how Arthur felt about Morgana after her betrayal. He just hadn't exactly realised how strongly he felt. The prince of Camelot wasn't a talkative man. He didn't really talk about his feelings, except with Alina. Most of the things Merlin knew about Arthur's character he had discovered by very careful observation. It would seem that Arthur had a whole lot more anger boiled up inside him than he had let on.

Feeling that the situation was about to get out of hand, he intervened. 'Alina says that the legend is going to change,' he spoke up. 'Morgana is not a threat anymore.'

This gained him a very strange look from Arthur, probably because Alina had not said anything like this to him. But then, she hadn't said this to Merlin either. He just made it up as he went along, because all of a sudden he felt like the world would end if Arthur harmed her. He frowned at this. What was happening to him?

He found himself moving half in front of her, without giving himself permission to do so. 'And if she says that Gaius is possessed, I believe her,' he added. He only realised that he meant those words when they had already left his mouth. Why did he mean them, he wondered. Why did he trust Morgana, almost unconditionally. It couldn't be because of something Alina had said about her.

Or maybe that was exactly what this was about. He suddenly remembered a moment in time, when Morgana's magic had only just started to develop and Alina had sent him a thought that wasn't meant to be sent his way. _Guess there was some truth in all that Mergana pairing, _she had thought. It had been a reaction to him wanting to rush out into Gaius's quarters to comfort a very frightened Morgana.

Mergana, Morgana's name save for one little error. Error? He suddenly realised that it wasn't an error. Mer-gana. Merlin and Morgana, their names combined. It hit him with the force of an explosion. Something in the legend wanted them together. Maybe they were even meant to be together. And if that was the case, Alina would surely know about it. He swore he would ask her as soon as he saw her.

His thoughts were one big ball of confusion and he couldn't deal with it now. He had to firmly remind himself that Gaius was currently under the goblin's control. His bond with Morgana was something he had to figure out after this crises had been dealt with.

'Gaius is possessed, Arthur,' he pleaded. 'We have to fix this!'

'But Merlin, you can't be sure!' the prince protested again.

'Then see it for yourself!' he shouted. He couldn't believe Arthur was this thick. Or maybe he wasn't thick. Maybe he just didn't want to believe Morgana. Either way, they needed to deal with this and it would be a whole lot easier if Arthur believed the truth.

'Fine!' Arthur snapped. 'I will.'

He stared at both of them intently and then walked away.

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**Anyone any idea what Arthur's test is and how it is going to end? I'd like to hear your theories! **


	68. Chapter 68

**And here's the next one. Alina will come back next chapter, promise. In the meantime, please read and review!**

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**Chapter 68**

**Arthur**

Arthur had no idea why Merlin believed the traitor so easily. He didn't understand, but he had to deal with the facts here. Merlin did believe Morgana, though he didn't think Alina had anything to do with this. Merlin could not lie to save his life. It had been too obvious really.

The point was, there really was some sense in Morgana's words. Gaius had acted strangely after the goblin had supposedly escaped. But then, so had Morgana. She had looked almost scared and was obviously desperate for an excuse to leave the room.

Arthur knew he was in for another sleepless night, which annoyed him. He hadn't had those in three weeks. But, of course, Alina had hardly left and they were already in so much trouble that he couldn't think of anything else. It appeared to be something of a habit.

There were simply too many things going around in his head, Merlin's strange behaviour being only one of them. He kept wondering about that, but as that was not the main problem at the moment, he stored it away for later. That would be something Alina had to look into.

No, the real problem here was the goblin. Arthur shuddered at the thought of how much damage it had caused in only one afternoon. Most of it had been cleaned up by the castle's servants by now. But it had only made Arthur more determined to catch this creature, preferably before Alina returned.

He forced himself to seriously consider Morgana's accusation that Gaius was possessed by the goblin. Yes, Gaius had acted very strangely, very out of the ordinary, but that could be only a reaction to their failure. He himself had not been too pleased either when he found that the creature had managed to escape, despite their careful preparations.

Still, the idea had not let go of him since Morgana first told them what it was that she supposedly had seen. He just couldn't bring himself to believe her, just because it was her who had told him this in the first place.

_You know that is not very mature of you, Arthur Pendragon_. He could almost hear Alina's voice talking to him. Those were exactly the words she would be using if she was here. And he knew she would be right to use those words on him right now. This was not the kind of behaviour he, as a future king, could maintain.

But, as he couldn't bring himself to just take Morgana's word for it, he spent the remainder of the night trying to think up a plan to find out if Gaius really wasn't in control of his own body anymore and by morning, he had come up with the perfect idea.

He told Merlin over breakfast and he agreed immediately. So, when breakfast was done, he sent a servant to ask Gaius to come to his chambers immediately. Merlin would be hiding in one of his cupboards and only come out if he needed help.

The warlock had only just closed the door of the cupboard behind him when someone knocked on the door.

'Enter!' Arthur called. He turned to see Gaius, who came in. 'Ah, Gaius, come in please.'

'I believe you wanted to see me,' Gaius said.

He sounded like he normally did, not at all like he wasn't in his right mind. Arthur started to doubt Morgana's statement again. There obviously wasn't anything the matter with the old man. Apart from the fact that he apparently spent last night in the tavern, according to Merlin.

He started out in a friendly voice. If this was the real Gaius he would get the shock of a lifetime and Arthur didn't exactly wish that on him, but he needed to be sure. He would apologize later. 'There is an extremely delicate matter that I would like to discuss with you,' he said.

'What is it, sire?' Gaius asked.

'It concerns Merlin,' Arthur told him. 'It has come to my attention that he has been acting very strange lately.'

'Strange, sire? In what way?'

'I do not know how to put it,' Arthur hesitated. 'I'm afraid that I strongly suspect Merlin of practising magic here in Camelot.'

Gaius did not look surprised at all and that drew Arthur's attention. Merlin had told him that Gaius was not yet aware that Arthur knew his greatest secret. He had kept it from his mentor deliberately, because this knowledge was bound to shock Gaius greatly. So for Gaius to remain so stoic as Arthur told him that his ward's magic had been discovered was unexpected at least. It looked like Morgana was right after all, something Arthur would hate to admit.

'That is a serious situation indeed, sire,' Gaius replied. 'I would hate to think that I have been unknowingly harbouring a sorcerer.'

Arthur could hardly believe that these words came out of the old physician's mouth. Gaius knew about Merlin. He was absolutely sure of that. So there was no way Gaius would have harboured a sorcerer unknowingly. He could only come to the conclusion that this was not the real Gaius speaking with him.

But, for good measure, he decided to take it one step further. 'If these accusations can be proven,' he continued. 'Merlin will of course be sentenced to hang. I know he was your ward, Gaius, but I am afraid that I will have no choice in such a serious matter.'

'I understand completely, sire,' Gaius said. There was not a single trace of fear, panic or anger on his face, which was all the more proof that this was not the real Gaius.

'You do understand that he will hang when I have my proof, don't you?' Arthur asked.

Gaius nodded, smiling. 'Oh, I shall look forward to that.'

If Arthur needed any more proof that this was the goblin speaking through Gaius, then he had just gotten it. Gaius would never ever want to see Merlin hanged, no matter what crime he may have committed.

He only became aware that his jaw had dropped and that he was staring in utter shock at the possessed man, when the goblin asked him if something was wrong.

Arthur drew his sword and pointed it at the goblin in disguise. 'The Gaius I know would never look forward to see Merlin hang, no matter what he'd done,' he stated. 'Which means that Morgana was telling the truth.'

The goblin cackled. 'Caught me!' it said with Gaius's voice. 'What a shame, but never mind.'

Before Arthur could ask what that was supposed to mean, Gaius's eyes flashed gold and something collided with the side of his head. He could vaguely notice that he dropped his sword, but then he crashed to the ground and passed out.

**Morgana**

Morgana spent the morning pacing. She knew that Arthur had thought up a plan to prove what Merlin and she already knew: Gaius was possessed by a goblin. To a certain extent she could understand that Arthur did not want to believe her on her word. He knew her to have betrayed Camelot and she could understand that he was not too eager to believe a traitor's word without any proof. Apart from that, this wasn't something you wanted to believe.

Merlin had been remarkably quick to believe her. She was glad they had made up the night before. Well, she wasn't exactly sure it could be called that, but she guessed it was a start at the very least. He had been almost as kind and friendly as he used to be her. The memory of him moving to shield her from Arthur's angry gaze, stating firmly that he believed her, brought a small smile to her face.

She didn't know what it was about Merlin, but in the end it all seemed to come down to him. Only a day ago she had hated him intensely and now they were almost back on friendly terms. Her hate had completely vanished. He had never even hated her, for which she admired him. Could it really be that they could start over anew?

She had not slept much that night. The main reason for that was the absence of her healing bracelet. Without that to keep the dreams at bay, she was bound to have nightmares. She had a couple of bad dreams indeed, most of which she could not recall clearly when she woke. There had been a donkey in it and a crying Merlin, that much she remembered.

There was no way that she could go back to sleep after these dreams, so she had spent the rest of the night thinking. Morgause had been on her mind a lot. Morgana had been thinking everything through, everything Morgause, Merlin and Alina had said to her, everything she had seen. She had to come to some very unwelcome conclusions. She forced herself to face the truth that Morgause may not have her best interests at heart after all. Oh, she loved her, of that Morgana was convinced. She just loved her cause more. Their cause had been one of the most important reasons why Morgause had come to her and Morgana didn't know if she was content with being only second best. Add all the lies her sister had told her to the mix and Morgana decided that maybe it was for the best to stay away from her sister for a while.

If she then compared Alina and Merlin with Morgause, she could clearly see that she wasn't second best to them, especially not to Merlin. Before she had made what well could be the mistake of a lifetime by siding with Morgause, both of them had regarded her as a close friend. Alina had helped her to understand her gift and Merlin had guarded both their secrets. Merlin had even become her closest confident after Alina's escape, the only one she could tell about her fears. At one point she had even believed that their friendship could turn into something more, but she had never known if he felt the same way.

'Ugh, I have been so stupid!' she exclaimed to the empty room. Why could she not have seen all of this before she had run off with Morgause?

This change of heart, even though she didn't want to call it that, did however not mean that she wanted freedom for her and her kind any less. She wanted that almost more than anything. But now she had come to see that Morgause's way of achieving that desired freedom was not the path she wanted to follow. Most importantly, that path would eventually claim Morgause's life and Morgana didn't want to be responsible for that. Despite all the lies and distrust on Morgause's part, she still loved her sister.

Maybe, she pondered, it would be good to give Merlin and Alina's way of following the prophecies a chance. It would undoubtedly be a much slower way, but it seemed to be much more certain. Arthur had already accepted the fact that Alina had magic. Uther had appointed het Court Sorceress. Things were already changing in the castle. Would she even dare hope that someday she would not have to fear for her life anymore? Maybe, when Arthur was king, she thought. He knew about her magic, but yet the only thing he had commented on was her betrayal. It sounded hopeful, she decided. Although he could be really thick. Surely even a child could have seen that there was something wrong with Gaius?

She had hardly finished that thought before the door was thrown open and Merlin came bursting in.

'Merlin!' she exclaimed, startled. 'Have you forgotten how to knock?'

'Sorry,' he panted.

She studied him closely. Arthur's servant seemed to be out of breath, but other than that, he seemed all right. 'How did Arthur's little scheme work out?' she asked.

Merlin closed the door. 'I've got good and bad news,' he announced.

'Why don't you start with the good news?' she suggested.

'Right,' he nodded. 'Well, Arthur believes that Gaius is being possessed by the goblin.'

She smiled. 'That's good, isn't it?'

Merlin didn't look pleased. 'The bad news is that he now has the ears of a donkey,' he finished.

Morgana blinked. She suddenly remembered that she had dreamed something about a donkey last night. 'Arthur's a donkey?' she asked disbelieving. She had known that the goblin was a magical creature, but this would be very powerful magic indeed. Transformations were never easy, Alina had once told her. No one should attempt to do it unless they were very skilled in the use of magic. The goblin must be more powerful than any of them had anticipated.

'He has the ears of a donkey,' Merlin corrected. 'And the voice,' he added.

She frowned. 'The voice?'

'He is braying,' Merlin clarified.

'He's braying,' Morgana echoed. The next moment she only really understood what it was that Merlin was telling her and she surrendered to laughter. She could almost picture a braying Arthur with the ears of a donkey and that really was too much. Suddenly she found herself incapable of standing on her feet any longer and she collapsed, rocking with laughter.

'It's not funny, Morgana!' Merlin said indignantly.

She hiccupped. 'No, of course not. Arthur with the ears of a donkey, what's funny about that?' It didn't sound very convincing.

Merlin started to chuckle as well and after that it didn't take long before he joined her on the floor, both of them howling with laughter. Morgana couldn't remember when she had had such fun before. She most certainly didn't have it whilst staying with Morgause. And it just felt so liberating, so good. She kept laughing just to experience that feeling a little longer.

In the end they had to stop, though. Merlin had been right in a way: this wasn't funny. Morgana didn't want to know what would happen if Uther were to find out that a goblin was roaming the castle. She even less wanted him to find out that said goblin had enchanted his son. They had to fix this and they had to fix this quickly.

'So, what now?' she wondered.

Merlin looked thoughtful. 'I was rather hoping that you knew the counter curse. We need to turn Arthur back to normal as soon as possible, preferably before Uther gets wind of this.'

'I know a few spells that might work,' Morgana replied doubtfully. 'But I've always heard that transfiguration spells were very powerful and my magic is still weak. I don't know if I can reverse it.'

Merlin's jaw dropped. 'Please don't tell me that he has to remain like this forever?'

'I hope not,' she said. 'I can try, at least.'

They made their way to Arthur's chamber and were very glad that they encountered no one and reached the room unseen. It wasn't exactly forbidden to walk to Arthur's room together, but a lady and a servant walking together could cause a lot of talk and that they could really not have.

Merlin knocked. 'Arthur?'

Something that may have been meant as a yes could be heard, but since Morgana knew what it was, she knew that this wasn't human speech.

Merlin opened the door and let her enter first. The first thing Morgana noticed was the smashed vase in the middle of the room. Arthur's sword was lying in the middle of all the shards. Had Gaius knocked him on the head with the vase, after which he had dropped his sword? That sounded like a plausible explanation, apart from the fact that she had no idea how such an old man would manage it to hit Arthur on the head with anything.

Merlin closed the door behind them and led her to the other end of the room.

'Where is he?' she whispered, as the prince was nowhere in sight.

'Hiding behind the bed,' the servant replied.

He let her go first. Morgana peeked around the enormous bad and saw Arthur sitting against it. She gasped as she saw the ears. They were… well, a donkey's. They were also very real.

'Arthur!' she exclaimed, shocked.

She had sometimes feared him as well as Uther. She knew now that she would never fear either of them again. All she had to do was to picture them with these ears and nothing about them could ever frighten her, ever again.

Arthur brayed. It sounded like a donkey, but she knew for certain that no real donkey could ever sound so indignant. The tone was purely Arthur.

'Did Gaius do this to you?' she asked.

Arthur brayed again, irritated this time.

'He's a goblin, you know,' she said. The temptation was really too great to resist. 'Told you so.'

Merlin tried to mask his chuckle as a cough, but Morgana was not fooled, and neither was Arthur, who brayed angrily.

'Sorry, Arthur,' Merlin said, but it wasn't really convincing. 'Morgana, I don't know if you can do that as well, but Alina could talk to him with her mind. Do you think…?'

Morgana nodded. She had practised this ability a little with Alina before her arrest and had later worked at it with Morgause as well. She had mastered it, not perfectly, but well enough. 'I think so,' she replied. 'I can always try, if Arthur agrees, of course.'

Arthur brayed impatiently.

She took that as a yes. _Arthur?_

_Finally_, he said. _Can you undo this?_

She snorted. _You're not wasting any time, are you? I'll try, but I don't guarantee that I will succeed. These spells are very complicated._

_Just try it, will you?_ he growled impatiently.

'What does he say?' Merlin asked.

'I've got his permission to try,' Morgana replied. 'He says I've got to hurry up.'

_Will the two of you stop talking as if I'm not here?_ Arthur asked angrily.

Morgana chuckled. 'He says we have to stop talking as if he isn't there,' she reported. 'Now, if you will both shut up, I need to concentrate.'

She took slow deep breaths and went over the spells in her mind. Then she held out both her hands and started to speak them loud and clearly. She knew almost immediately that it wasn't working. She could feel her magic rushing through her, but when it hit Arthur, it was as if she hit a solid stone wall. She could not get past it. She kept trying nonetheless. She didn't want to give this arrogant prince a reason to say that she had not given it her all.

After five minutes she had to admit that it was no use. 'It isn't working,' she sighed.

Arthur brayed in shock. _What!?_

'The goblin's magic is very strong and I am too inexperienced,' she explained to them both.

Merlin studied Arthur's ears closely. 'I don't know,' he pondered. 'But they do seem smaller than they were.'

Morgana was almost certain that they had not shrunken a millimetre, but she understood the need to keep Arthur's spirits up.

'I can't do it again,' she said. 'And I'm not even sure I can fix this entirely. My magic is still weak. I've never even done something this complicated before.'

Arthur brayed in disappointment.

'We need to get Alina back,' Merlin announced.

_What, _no_!_ Arthur thought at her. _She's going to kill us!_

_Well, of course_, Morgana thought back sarcastically. _If you want to remain a donkey for the rest of your life._

_Of course not!_

_Then stop your braying and be quiet._

_Very funny, Morgana._ He gave her a glare.

She ignored that. 'Arthur is in agreement,' she told Merlin.

He eyed her suspiciously. 'It didn't sound like that.'

'He merely expressed his wish not to remain like this forever,' she replied diplomatically.

'I can imagine that,' Merlin replied seriously. 'The tournament is next week already.'

Arthur brayed in shock. _Oh no!_

Morgana grinned. 'He's very glad that you reminded him.'

Arthur brayed his disagreement.

Merlin chuckled. 'Right. Well, I think it's best if I kept an eye on the goblin,' he said. 'I am closest to Gaius. It will be easier for me.'

Morgana nodded. 'But who is going to get Alina then?'

He looked at her. 'You, of course. Arthur can't leave this place, not in the state that he is in now.'

_Hey!_ Arthur mentally shouted, whilst braying at the same time.

'He's not amused,' Morgana translated. 'But Merlin, you can't be serious! Alina hates me. She'll think it is some kind of plot!'

Merlin shook his head. 'She won't. And she doesn't hate you. Please, Morgana, we really need you to do this.'

Arthur brayed in agreement. Merlin looked at her with such pleading eyes and she found herself almost incapable of saying no.

'But I don't know how to find her,' she protested weakly, but really giving in already.

Merlin walked over to Arthur's desk and grabbed a necklace with a green stone. He handed it to her and all of a sudden she got a feeling which way she really should be going.

She frowned. 'What's this?'

He smiled one of his most Merlinish smiles. 'This will lead you straight to her.'

She took a deep breath. She was going to do this, she _could_ do this. 'All right,' she said. 'I should be back before sunset. Do you think you can keep Gaius out of trouble until then?'

Merlin nodded. 'That should be possible.'

Arthur brayed to get their attention. _What about me?_

Morgana tried to bite back her laughter, but only half succeeded. 'You better stay here, while we work out what to do.'

'Just the usual, really,' Merlin added cheerfully.

Arthur's indignant braying followed them into the corridor.

'Good luck,' Merlin said before they parted ways.

'Same to you,' Morgana replied, suppressing the feeling that she was about to do what she had sworn never to do: helping Camelot.

* * *

**That's it for today. Next chapter should be up Monday.**


	69. Chapter 69

**Hello everyone, here's the new chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 69**

**Alina**

Alina was enjoying her stay at her old home now that she was simply there to visit and not because it was the best place to run to after being banished. Her father had gone on and on about the danger she had supposedly been in and Alina had spent the best part of the day explaining why fighting a battle wasn't a dangerous thing for her.

'It really isn't, is it?' Cathy asked the following day.

The sisters were busy mucking out the stables. This was something Alina didn't have to do in Camelot, because that was what servants were for, but she had never liked that attitude. And it was strangely relaxing to do these simple chores. She smiled a little as she imagined trying to explain that to Arthur. There was no way he would ever understand that.

'What is?' she asked absent-mindedly.

'Fighting battles,' Cathy clarified.

'Not really, no,' Alina replied. 'And before you ask, I'm not giving a demonstration.'

'You're no fun at all,' Cathy muttered. 'I still can hardly believe that you really ended up in Camelot of all places.'

'Tell me all about it,' Alina chuckled. 'You really should all come and visit once, when we don't have any life-threatening problems to solve.'

'You make that sound as if that's a regular occasion,' her sister remarked.

'Well, that sounds about right,' Alina replied. 'I'll be happy if I go back after a week and find the place still standing, actually.'

She did not think there was anything the matter now. She checked in on Arthur every now and then, but he seemed all right. He had a temper since the early morning and the day before his mood wasn't exactly sunny either, but there was nothing to suggest that anything really was the matter in Camelot, for which she was very grateful. The battle had been very hard on all of them, as had Morgana's betrayal, and they really needed a nice time of peace and quiet.

Well, that was going to come to an end anyway. There was a mêlée planned for somewhere in the next week. There was bound to happen something then. The first time that a tournament went by without any problems she still had to see.

She smiled. 'You should come with me, Cathy,' she said. 'There'll be a tournament soon, a mêlée. You'll be more than welcome if you wanted to see it.'

Cathy's face split into a grin that was almost Merlinish. 'Really?'

Alina nodded, getting enthusiastic about her own idea. 'Really,' she said. 'You could meet Arthur, properly, and Merlin as well. And my brother Connor is coming as well.'

She paused there, thinking about Connor. Arthur had told her that he had almost gone to war against Uther for what he had done to her. She was glad that Merlin had been able to talk him out of it. Connor still wasn't Uther's biggest fan, but he was at least willing to make his peace with him for her sake. It was a start, she supposed.

She wondered what it would be like to see him again. After all, it had been three years and she had changed a lot in that time, as had he probably.

'You always wanted to see Camelot for real, right?' she continued. 'And your holidays haven't ended by then.' She shrugged. 'I think you'd like it.'

'A bunch of men smashing the crap out of one another?' Cathy teased with a grin.

'Shut up!' she laughed. 'According to Arthur it isn't like that. He says it's the ultimate test of strength and courage. Anyway, as his fiancée I'll have to attend. If I have to sit through it, I see no reason why you should escape it.'

'It can't be that bad,' Cathy said.

'Not really,' Alina admitted. 'And anyway, there's always the banquets and celebrations and those can actually be great fun. You could lend some of my dresses and accompany me.'

'I'll surely make a fool out of myself,' Cathy predicted. 'I have no idea of the customs.'

'Nobody will mind,' Alina told her. 'And you just have to avoid Lord Harold. That's what everyone does.'

'Are you sure?' Cathy asked.

Alina smirked. 'Do you honestly believe that anyone will risk it to insult the Court Sorceress's sister? They're too scared that I will turn them into a bunch of toads if they do.'

She grimaced. This was all too true, sadly. Most nobles were clever enough to understand that she didn't mean harm on any of them, but some of them, Lord Harold among them, were still scared of her, afraid that she would use her power to wreak havoc on Camelot in general and them especially. As tempting as it was sometimes, especially where Lord Harold was concerned, Alina had decided not to use her magic for pranks. She needed these people to trust her.

'Could Lynn come, too?' Cathy wondered. She had grown quite fond of the young woman since she stopped being such a selfish bitch.

'I doubt she'd want that,' Alina said. 'Connor is not too pleased with her.' At least, he hadn't been the last time she had seen him. The young king had been furious when he learned what she had done exactly.

'Alina! Cathy!' they heard their mother calling.

'What now?' Cathy wondered. 'More chores?'

Alina laughed as she put down her tools. 'I can't think of any we haven't done already.'

'Neither can I.'

Arthur was going to get a heart attack if he found out that she spent her week away doing chores for her mother. She had yet to explain that they didn't have servants to do it for them around here. She wasn't sure that he'd understand. From what she had heard Arthur assumed that her parents were nobles and she wasn't sure how he'd react if she told him that her father was a lawyer and her mother a nurse.

'What's up, mum?' Cathy called long before she could see her.

'We've got a visitor! Hurry up, girls.'

Alina frowned. 'We weren't expecting any visitors today, were we?'

Cathy shook her head. 'Not that I know of.'

Their mother was working the garden, so that was where they went. And Alina knew that something was off about all of this long before they got there. There was a horse tied to the fence and she stopped dead.

'Alina?' Cathy asked worried. 'What is it?'

There weren't many people they knew who would visit on horseback. And this horse was definitely not from around here. This horse came from the Camelot stables.

'That's a visitor from Camelot,' she replied. Good heavens, there must be something wrong. There was no other reason why someone from Camelot would visit her here, not when she had only left yesterday.

She broke into a run and reached the garden half a minute later. She saw her mother, but next to her, with her back turned to her, stood a young woman with long black hair in a beautiful green dress.

'Morgana!' she exclaimed. 'What are you doing here?'

'That's Morgana?' Cathy whispered.

Morgana turned around, relief written all over her face when she saw Alina. Now that was unexpected. The last time Alina checked, she hated her intensely. What was going on here?

'Good to see you, Alina,' she said warmly, almost as if they were friends again. And as much as Alina would wish that was true, she didn't trust her yet.

'I wish I could say the same,' she replied warily.

Morgana's expression could only be described as nervous, but she got herself under control soon enough and her expression changed to determination. 'That's not the problem now,' she said. 'It's Arthur.'

'What about him?' Alina asked, still suspicious of her former friend. She may have said that she was not going to do anything to harm them, but she had lied before.

Morgana took a deep breath and then spat it out. 'He's got donkey ears.'

Or maybe this wasn't a trick, Alina thought. Maybe this was just legend. She groaned. 'Donkey ears?'

The young witch nodded. 'And he brays.'

'God have mercy,' Alina whispered.

'That's not all,' Morgana went on.

'Let me guess,' she said, growing more angry by the second, because she knew exactly what else had been going on and Merlin had, once again, completely ignored her almost direct orders. Was it really that hard just to do as he was told, just for once in his life? 'There's a goblin on the loose, who is currently taking up residence in Gaius's body, causing an awful lot of trouble and of course no one in Camelot has a clue as to what we're supposed to do about it now.'

Morgana smiled a sad smile. 'Unfortunately, that sounds about right.'

Alina pushed aside all thoughts of why Morgana suddenly was so cooperative or why she even wanted to help them. It was enough for her to know that this crisis wasn't of her making. Everything else they would sort out after this problem had been adequately dealt with. And she knew what Morgana was about to ask. Oh, well, she should have known it had all been too good to last.

She grimaced. 'I suppose I'll just pack my stuff and we'll be off then.'

**Arthur**

This day was turning out to be one of the worst days he had in ages. He spent the best part of the day hiding behind his bed. Occasionally someone would come in to see if he was there and then he quickly hid under his bed to avoid being seen in this most humiliating state. He didn't think if he could bear it if another person would see him like this, especially not his father.

He wasn't really sure about Morgana either. She had said that she tried the magic, but he had not felt a single thing. So, of course she had used the magic language and her eyes had flashed gold. On top of that, Merlin had not become suspicious of her in the slightest and he spoke that particular language as well. It didn't change the fact that he didn't feel any magic when she did it.

Merlin, of course, had tried to take away the ears before he had run off to Morgana, but even his great powers had not been enough. But at least he had felt something then. It just didn't work, but he had really tried.

His hopes sunk as he realised that not even the mighty Emrys, the most powerful warlock in existence, was incapable of helping him. All his hopes were now pinned on Alina. She was less powerful than Merlin, but Merlin said that she knew more spells and she was pretty good when it came to inventing new ones, because she was almost fluent in the language of the Old Religion. He really hoped his servant was right about that one, because otherwise he was stuck with this ears. And that was not even the worst part of it. The worst part of it was that he would never be able to speak normally again. Who was going to take him seriously if all he could do was bray?

Someone knocked on the door again and Arthur quickly moved under the bed. No one, repeat, no one was going to see him like this.

The door was opened and people came in.

'He's not here, my lady,' sir Leon said. 'We haven't seen him all day.'

Someone else snorted. 'Oh, he's here. Come on, Arthur, I know you're in here and I really haven't got all day.'

Relief washed over him as he realised it was Alina's voice. Morgana must have kept her promise and gotten her back from her own time. Right now he was really grateful, even prepared to overlook her treason… temporarily. He moved from under the bed again.

_I'm behind the bed_, he thought at her. _And get Leon out of the room._

_How good to hear your voice_, she thought back at him. _It's a pity you don't want to talk to me out loud, though._ He could hear the teasing smile in her mental voice.

_Very funny, Alina. You do realise that I could be stuck like this if you can't change me back?_

She snorted. _Stop being such a drama queen, will you?_

'I can't see him,' another, unknown, voice said.

'That's because he's hiding behind the bed,' Alina said. 'I think it's better if you leave, Leon.'

'My lady?'

'At his own request. He doesn't want to see you right now,' Alina pressed.

Didn't she know him at all? If anything she just made him want to stay more.

'I really think I need to stay,' the knight insisted.

She sighed. 'Very well, then.'

_No!_ Arthur exclaimed. He realised only a second too late that he had also tried to say that out loud, forgetting for only a second that he wasn't capable of doing that anymore. The room filled with the noise of his braying.

Leon ran through the room, right at the spot where Arthur was currently hiding. He tried to slip under the bed again, but he was already too late. Leon came around the corner and stared at him.

'My lord?' he asked, shock written all over his face.

Well, everything was already lost, so Arthur brayed again to let the knight know that he had heard him and to inform him that he wasn't capable of any kind of normal human conversation at present.

'Who did this?' Leon demanded.

Alina, Morgana and Alina's little sister came into sight as well. Morgana remained calm, but then, she had already seen him like this, Alina looked positively furious and her sister burst out into laughter.

'Hush, Cathy!' Alina ordered. 'This is in no way funny.'

Cathy's face told them that she disagreed, but she at least tried to compose herself, for which Arthur was grateful.

'Can you fix it, Alina?' Morgana asked.

Alina kneeled down in front of him. 'I'll try.'

'But what has happened to him?' Leon insisted. The knight wasn't easy to shock. Arthur believed it was a first today.

'There's a goblin on the loose,' Alina told him quickly. 'Said goblin is currently possessing Gaius's body in which he enchanted Arthur to resemble some of the characteristics of a donkey. I believe it to be responsible for a few other nasty pranks, including Uther's baldness.'

'Gaius did this?' Leon exclaimed.

'No, the goblin possessing him did this,' Alina corrected. 'Goblins are powerful. Gaius didn't stand a chance against it. And it will stop at nothing to get what it wants.'

'Then we must stop it,' Leon said.

'Good conclusion, Einstein,' Alina said sarcastically.

Leon frowned. 'Who is Einstein?'

'Never mind,' Alina sighed. 'Arthur, I'm going to use magic on you now. I want you to keep still and don't bray. I need to focus.'

Arthur wanted to make some sarcastic remark, but he decided that it was a priority to get rid of these ears and this ridiculous donkey voice. So he stayed very still and let Alina do her job. She spoke a few spells, loud and clear, and Arthur saw her eyes flashing gold. Merlin and Morgana had roughly been using the same spells, but Alina used different ones altogether. They were incredibly long and sounded very complicated.

_Wow, this is very powerful magic indeed! _Alina mentally exclaimed as she was working. _It's not at all as legend would have me believe._

_Is it ever?_ Arthur was a bit surprised when he heard Merlin respond. Wasn't it impossible to have a mental conversation with more than one person at a time?

_Apparently not, _Alina sighed_. Could you lend me some of your power, though? I don't think that I can manage alone._

_Sure._

Arthur did not think that either of them was aware of him listening in, so he kept quiet. Maybe he could only hear them because Alina was using magic on him now. Yes, that would be it. And they would probably not thank him for eavesdropping on them. And he really wanted to lose the ears as soon as possible.

He could really feel the magic work now. Would that be because Merlin added his power to Alina's? He glanced at the younger man, but he saw nothing strange about him. Maybe he looked a bit concentrated, but an outsider would never suspect him of doing magic. His eyes were the clear blue they always were.

He would have continued wondering about the specifics, but he was distracted by a tingling feeling in his ears. It felt like they were… yes, finally shrinking! It didn't hurt, it tickled, but it was a good feeling.

'It's working!' Cathy cheered.

Morgana nodded, smiling. 'Thank goodness.'

Leon looked relieved. He said nothing, but Arthur knew that look. The knight couldn't wait to attack the person responsible for doing this to him, and neither could Arthur.

It took Merlin and Alina five minutes to finish their enchantments and then Alina seated herself on his bed, looking positively exhausted. He remembered Morgana saying that these spells were very complicated and he no longer doubted that. Alina and Merlin had only managed it because they worked together. He shuddered at the thought of how powerful this goblin was. And Gaius had said that they would stop at nothing to get their hands on gold.

'You should be able to speak normally again, Arthur,' Alina said.

'Finally,' Arthur said, relieved to find out that he had his voice back. He still sounded a bit hoarse, but that would probably fade in time. The important thing was that he could communicate with other people again.

Alina frowned. 'I don't think I want to know how this happened, do I?'

'It's not my fault!' Arthur protested.

Alina glanced at Merlin. 'I know. Someone,' Merlin got a sharp look from her, 'has been ignoring my advice around here.'

'I know,' Merlin muttered. 'It was stupid.'

Alina rolled her eyes. 'I'm glad we agree on that one.'

'But how are we going to get it out of Gaius and back in its box?' Morgana wondered. 'We can't allow it to roam freely around the castle much longer. Uther will find out if we don't act quickly.'

Alina nodded. 'You're right. We need to put an end to this.'

'So what do you suggest we do?' Arthur asked. If legend had mentioned the goblin, then surely it would also have mentioned a way to undo the damage.

'We'll kill Gaius,' she said.

Every jaw in the room dropped.

* * *

**Next chapter will be the last one on the goblin. Everyone still enjoying this?**

6


	70. Chapter 70

**Hello everyone. First, I want to apologise for the delay, but I have been very, very busy these last few days. That brings me to the second thing, I'm going to reduce updates to twice a week, since I also plan on eating and sleeping for the next few months. I'm really sorry, but I promise the update rate will not go down any further. Updates will be either on Saturday and Wednesday or Sunday and Thursday. **

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 70**

**Merlin**

Merlin wasn't sure if he liked any of this. He stood between Alina and Arthur, hiding in his room, waiting for Gaius to arrive. There was no way he could change the plan now. The poison was already on the gold. But there had to be another way. Surely they just couldn't kill Gaius?

'Stop doing that,' Arthur ordered. 'You're making me edgy!'

'He could die if we are not fast enough!' Merlin pointed out, panic rising again. He had tried to contain it, but it had been hopeless. The very thought of Gaius dying was simply unbearable. To him it felt as if the world would come to an end if that happened. Gaius had so often given him advice, been there for him, understood him when no one else did. To miss all of that, he wasn't sure he wanted to know what that would be like.

But Alina was on edge as well. 'Well, unless you want Gaius controlled by that goblin for the rest of his life…' She peeked around the corner, but there was no one in the room.

'I know,' Merlin said. 'But still, is there really no other way?'

'According to Gaius's books, no there isn't.' She looked impatiently at the small black kind of box she was holding in her hands. Merlin had no idea what exactly it was. Alina had only mentioned that it was a means of communication, which told them nothing. 'What's taking him so long?' she muttered under her breath.

'He really has to die?' Merlin asked softly.

He saw sympathy in her eyes as she looked at him. 'He needs to be dying long enough for the goblin to think this is serious. If it fears for its life, it _will_ leave the body.' She squeezed his hand reassuringly.

'What if it doesn't?' Merlin asked. The words had left his mouth before he had given them permission to do so. He still felt panicked. The feeling simply refused to fade away. Not even Alina's knowledge could calm him now.

'It will,' she repeated. 'It has no death wish.' He thought she may have seen some of his doubts, because she added: 'And if you don't believe me, then believe legend. It will all be fine, really.'

'Legend says it will be fine?' Arthur said. The prince wasn't used to talk about his emotions, but Merlin could hear Arthur's nervousness without him having to say it.

'As long as we stick to the plan, yes,' Alina said.

Merlin nodded, trying to at least look calm. It wouldn't fool either of them, but it would at least show them that he tried and that he was determined to do whatever it took to force the goblin out of Gaius and into the box again. He had to focus, he told himself. He would be no use to anyone, least of all to Gaius, if he lost his nerve.

Alina smiled. 'We have the antidote,' she reminded him. 'And as soon as the goblin is out, I will give it to him. You have my word.'

Merlin wanted to say that he appreciated that, but the nerves got in the way. Fortunately for him, the box in Alina's hands started to make noise.

'Target's approaching,' a voice said. Merlin blinked, staring at the box. He knew that voice. It belonged to Alina's sister Cathy. But he had no idea how her voice came to be in that box. 'I repeat, target is approaching.'

Alina giggled in spite of the serious situation. She brought the black box to her mouth and then, to Merlin and Arthur's surprise, talked to it. 'You're not a spy, Cathy. There is no need whatsoever to speak in codes.'

'Yes, I know, but it's fun to pretend,' came the reply.

'What is that?' Arthur asked, eyeing the box warily, like it was going to attack him any moment now.

Alina smirked. 'Technology from my time,' she explained, before addressing Cathy again. 'Very well, then. How long till the target reaches destination?'

'About a minute,' Cathy said. 'Target's walking slowly, to corridors away from destination. We're following now. Over and out.'

Alina sighed, but Merlin could tell that she was amused. 'Over and out,' she agreed. She put the device back in the pocket of her trousers. Arthur had almost gotten a heart attack when he saw her in such strange clothing. Alina had told him not to be such a girl and stop whining. That had been funny.

'Looks like the goblin will be here soon,' Arthur said. Merlin suspected him of mentioning Gaius as the goblin to create some emotional distance. Merlin wished he could do that, but his attempts were all in vain.

The door swung open and Gaius, or rather, the goblin possessing his body, entered.

'Speaking of the devil,' muttered Alina, almost inaudibly.

Gaius went straight for the ton in which the chest of gold was hidden. He took it out and set it on the table, putting in another few gold coins.

'Where do those come from?' Arthur whispered.

'No idea,' Alina whispered back. 'And if you don't mind, I'm not going to find out right now.'

They peeked carefully around the door, but they shouldn't have bothered with being careful. Gaius wasn't even checking if he was alone. All his attention was focused on the gold. He took a few coins out and started licking them, making noises of pure delight.

'Ugh!' Arthur said, that's disgusting.

'Agreed,' Alina said. 'It's even worse than I imagined it.'

Merlin's mind was too busy to comment on the goblin's absolute lack of manners. All he could see, all he could feel, was that his beloved mentor was being poisoned and his companions failed to understand how he felt about that.

The goblin put the coins down again, looking as if he couldn't quite find his balance. He looked unfocused, stumbled, although he wasn't moving. The poison was taking effect.

'Now,' Alina whispered.

Merlin picked up the box lined with lead, the only kind of box that would be able to hold it, up and ran after Arthur.

The goblin looked up when he saw them, but Merlin could only see Gaius's eyes, watching him with disappointment. He swallowed. He knew the person behind those eyes wasn't Gaius, but in that moment it was very hard to tell them apart.

'You poisoned me!' it accused him.

'I did,' Merlin said.

'Gaius will die!' it said. 'You don't want to let that happen.'

No, I don't, Merlin thought, but the words got stuck in his throat. The goblin was having trouble standing upright now, but why wasn't it leaving? Surely it must know that it would die along with the host if it didn't leave?

It was Arthur who replied. 'We had rather have that Gaius died if the deal is that you die with it,' he said.

Gaius was on his knees now. 'Why are you doing this?'

Arthur's face showed no sign of any emotion as he replied. 'Did you think I was going to let you get away with giving me donkey ears?'

'Oh, very well, then,' it said, although it did not sound quite as indifferent as it tried to sound. 'I'll have no choice.'

'I'm glad you figured that out,' Arthur said icily. He clearly had learned from Alina. She could sound exactly like that.

Merlin could only hope and pray in silence that it would leave Gaius's body soon, so that Alina could give him the antidote and everything would be all right, just as she promised.

'If you don't leave now, you'll die,' Arthur pressed. Merlin could never really be sure with him, but he thought the prince sounded nervous.

The next moment the ball of light left Gaius, who fell to the ground and remained there, motionless.

**Alina**

It had taken the goblin longer than she had anticipated to realise that it really had to leave or it would die. But when it finally did, Alina acted immediately. Gaius was on the ground, not moving, apparently not even breathing. She was hoping with all her heart that he would make it. He looked so lifeless.

Arthur was already chasing the goblin around the room, but Merlin was frozen into place, staring in shock at Gaius's body.

'Come on, Merlin!' Arthur urged. 'Don't just stand there!'

That seemed to wake him up. He jumped forward, something the goblin had not been expecting, and almost caught it. the goblin only just managed to escape, making for the door.

Alina used the opportunity to run to the old physician. With the goblin at a more or less safe distance, there was very little risk that she would trip and drop the antidote.

'What's going on in there?' Cathy's voice asked.

Alina glared at the walkie-talkie, although her sister would not be able to see that. 'I'm a little busy at the moment, Cathy.'

She bended over Gaius. He was still breathing but only just. There was no time to waste and so she gave him the antidote immediately, ignoring Merlin and Arthur's shouts of frustration as the goblin escaped again.

'Come on,' she whispered. 'Don't you dare die on me. Come on, Gaius, fight!'

She was hoping and praying that she wasn't too late already. According to legend there should be enough time, but she had more than enough experience with legend's little tricks.

She was distracted when the goblin changed back in its bigger form on Gaius's working table, spitting on the floor and shoving several jars on the floor in the process.

'Ugh!' it said.

Merlin held the box open, giving it his most stern look. 'Back in the box!' he ordered.

Arthur was using this opportunity to sneak around the goblin. The goblin was too busy smirking at Merlin to notice him coming, but since the warlock was the one with the box, she didn't think this was going to work.

So, predictably, it didn't work at all. 'You'll have to catch me first!' it yelled, jumping across the room into an undefined pile of mess that the goblin itself had made only seconds earlier.

'Shit!' Alina exclaimed. She got up and joined in the hunt. She had not forgotten Gaius, but there was nothing she could do for him now, so she helped Merlin shoving all kinds of objects aside, trying to find the blasted creature.

'Where has it gone?' Arthur wondered. He had attempted to jump after it and hit his head hard against the table. He still looked a little unbalanced.

'Somewhere in there,' Alina pointed.

'Great,' Arthur commented.

'My thoughts exactly.'

Merlin was still frantically digging, making an even bigger mess of the place than it already was.

'Careful,' she warned. 'It's somewhere in there and it's bound to come out any second now.' She was suddenly very grateful that she had re-watched this episode the night before, just in case.

'I haven't found it yet,' Merlin said.

That statement had hardly left his mouth when the smaller goblin appeared again, buzzing annoyingly. Alina backed away automatically. She had no ambition to share her body with a goblin, so she would not give it the opportunity.

She shouldn't have bothered. The goblin wasn't even interested in her. It circled a few times around Merlin's head, before disappearing into his mouth.

Alina knew this was how legend was supposed to go, but she couldn't stop herself from gasping. What if legend was wrong again? She didn't dare to think about what that would mean.

But, again, she should not have worried. Merlin jumped up and ran over to the box that had fallen onto the ground, literally spitting the creature into its prison again, slamming the lid shut before it had even the chance to recover.

'Got you!' he exclaimed in triumph.

'Impressive,' croaked a voice from the other side of the room, Gaius's voice.

As Merlin rushed over and almost suffocated his mentor in a hug, Alina sighed out in relief.

'Relieved?' Arthur asked.

She nodded. 'Very much so.'

He gave her a teasing smile. 'Like you didn't know we would succeed before we had even begun.'

She smiled, but it was half-hearted. 'I didn't,' she said. 'I only know what is supposed to happen, but legend likes to play tricks on all of us. It wouldn't exactly be the first time something went wrong.'

'Like what happened with the Witchfinder?' he asked, serious again.

She nodded. 'Yes, the Witchfinder was one of legend's more dangerous tricks. In the legend I know he only was a fraud and Merlin only had to frame him. He wasn't supposed to be an actual sorcerer.' She looked at Merlin and Gaius, feeling extremely glad that everything had turned out all right once again. 'Fortunately for us, there were no unexpected turn of events today.'

'So, everything is back to normal again?' Arthur wondered.

'It will be,' she said. 'Once I've informed the rest that everything has been done.' She took the walkie-talkie from her pocket again. 'Hey, wanna-be spy, you still there?' she asked.

'Still there,' Cathy said. 'Everything all right in there. We heard a lot of noise.'

Alina grinned mischievously. 'Target is down,' she informed her. 'I repeat, target is down.'

'Now who's playing spy?' Cathy laughed.

'You were the one who insisted on using codes,' she retorted. 'Over and out.' She switched it off before Cathy could give her another witty reply.

'Your sister is a strange girl,' Arthur remarked.

'Well, Cathy's one of a kind,' Alina said. 'I've invited her to stay for the tournament. I thought she might like it. If that is not a problem to you, of course.'

'Tell her to get some decent clothing,' Arthur replied.

Alina chuckled. She knew Arthur was not very pleased with their modern clothing. And maybe he was right to do so. After all, women in trousers was highly inappropriate around here.

'So that means she can stay for a while?'

'As long as she doesn't plan on moving in permanently,' Arthur muttered. The prince was feeling very awkward when her sister was around, Alina knew, and she thought she had a fairly good idea why that was the case. Arthur was a man of his time in every respect, whereas Cathy was definitely a twenty-first century person: she was talkative, curious about almost everything, which meant that she also had an opinion about almost every subject imaginable. On top of that, she always believed that she was right. Which was a problem when Arthur was around, because he also always thought that he was right.

'I doubt she'd want that,' Alina assured him. 'There are no computers here, no phones and no television. She'd die of boredom before the month was out.'

'You know I have no idea what you are talking about, right?' he asked.

She smirked. 'Maybe I should take you to visit my time once. I think you would find it… interesting.'

Judging by the look on Arthur's face, he highly doubted that.

She changed the subject. 'At least we've got a quiet week until the tournament starts.'

'Well, actually,' Arthur said.

Alina groaned. 'Don't tell me, you want to go on a hunt.'

He eyed her warily. 'Can you read my mind as well as my emotions?'

She laughed. 'No, this is just legend. I take it you'll be taking Merlin with you?'

'Yes. Something wrong with that?'

'Not necessarily.' She thought about it for another moment. 'Just one piece of advice. Stay away from taverns, right?'

* * *

**Next update will probably be on Sunday. In the meantime, please let me know what you thought of this chapter.**


	71. Chapter 71

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter. And thanks for all the reviews. It's really appreciated. Anyway, here's the first chapter with Gwaine in it. I hope I did him justice. Some of your expectations are pretty high.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 71**

**Alina**

'I don't understand it,' Cathy said two days later. 'Why does Arthur like to hunt so much?'

'Because he likes killing things?' Morgana offered.

'Because he wants something to take his mind of the fact that he has spent an entire day braying,' Alina corrected. 'And because he likes the excitement and expectation that go with a hunt.'

The three women were sitting in Alina's room. They were trying to make a few of Alina and Morgana's old dresses to fit Cathy. The tournament was meant to start in two days and that meant that there were several receptions and feasts to look forward to, which meant that her younger sister had to get some appropriate dresses.

Right now, she was behind the dressing screen, trying to get herself into one of Morgana's old frocks.

'Does it fit?' Morgana inquired.

The young witch had proved extremely useful these last few days. Merlin had told Alina everything that had happened when the goblin had been roaming the castle and Morgana's role in it. Alina was impressed. It would appear that she no longer wanted to bring Camelot down.

Alina frowned as she noticed that Morgana's wrist was clear of the bracelet. 'Merlin gave you your bracelet back, didn't he?' she asked.

Morgana studied her face. 'He did.'

Unable to control her curiosity, she pressed: 'Why aren't you wearing it anymore?'

'I no longer felt comfortable wearing it,' Morgana said, shrugging as if this wasn't a big deal. 'Anyway, your ring keeps the dreams away just as well, probably even better.'

Alina knew there had to be more to it. Morgana had practically worshipped that bracelet, and not just for its powers to keep her nightmares at bay. She loved it for the link with Morgause. The fact that she had now taken it off, with no intention of using it again anytime soon, that meant something. And Alina hoped she was right in thinking that it meant that Morgana no longer loved Morgause as she had.

The other important thing was the use of the ring. Merlin had told her Morgana had used it until shortly after her return, to be precise, until the day Alina had come back. She knew what was the meaning of that. Morgana had taken the ring off the moment she realised that Alina wasn't on her side. She had put it on again when they were both on the same side again. She doubted anyone understood all of that. It was very subtle, after all, but Alina understood it perfectly. It brought a small smile to her face. Maybe she had finally succeeded in changing legend for the better.

'I take that as a compliment,' Alina said.

'That is what it was supposed to be,' Morgana replied softly, so that Cathy wouldn't hear.

It was still a little awkward between them. That was only logical, Alina supposed. After all, their last few conversations had been less than civil. Both of them had thrown very serious accusations at the other and now it was difficult to pick up the threads of their old friendship. But Morgana was obviously trying now, so Alina was determined to give it her best.

'How are you all managing to go around in one of these?' Cathy complained loudly from behind the screen.

Alina tried to bite back her laughter. 'Lots and lots of practise,' she called back. 'Don't worry, you'll do fine.'

'I can't see why I can't wear my trousers to the party,' her sister went on.

Now she had to do her best not to sigh in annoyance. This subject had been discussed at least ten times earlier. So her answer remained the same. 'Because that would be highly inappropriate and would cause more people than just Lord Harold a heart attack. We wouldn't want that to happen.'

'With the exception of Lord Harold, of course,' Morgana muttered under her breath. She didn't particularly like the ill-tempered nobleman either.

'Naturally,' Alina whispered back.

'This is absurd!' Cathy exclaimed. 'Do you have any idea how oppressive these skirts are?'

Morgana gave Alina a very confused look. 'What's she talking about?'

'Nothing of importance,' she replied, before raising her voice. 'Cathy, this is neither the time nor the place to give a speech on women's rights. In case you've forgotten, we're not in the twenty-first century anymore. There are different rules and customs here. Deal with it. You simply can't go giving your opinion to everyone, and most certainly not the king.' She almost got a heart attack at the idea of her sister telling Uther about women's rights.

'I have every right…,' Cathy started.

'No, you haven't,' Alina interrupted. 'You may be my sister, but you are in no position to tell the king what he can and can't do. You are no member of the court, little sis, and unless your opinion is asked, you cannot give it.'

'That's ridiculous! Haven't you people heard about democracy?'

Morgana frowned. 'Wasn't that some kind of political idea in Greece?'

'Something like that,' Alina said. 'And that's completely beside the point, Cathy. This is a simple matter of obeying certain rules. You will not go expressing your views on any subject that is either about politics or civil rights and liberties, or I will send you straight back home, is that understood?'

It was like reasoning with a stubborn four year old. Alina understood why she thought what she thought, but people weren't quite ready to hear these things, she knew. She could live with that. Maybe she could because she was meant to live in this time. But Cathy was a woman of her time, sharing the views of that time. In her opinion Camelot was completely backwards, in desperate need of reform. And maybe that was true in some ways, but there was no need to do it Cathy's way.

'I still think it's ridiculous,' the younger girl muttered, just loud enough to be audible.

'As long as you keep those opinions to yourself I'm perfectly all right with that.'

She was saved from having to hear another of Cathy's witty replies by Merlin, who came rushing into the room, without knocking, as per usual.

'What on earth is wrong with knocking?' she asked without even turning to see who it was. After all, Merlin was the only person alive to come in without knocking.

'We've got a wounded man,' the warlock panted. Clearly he had run the entire way.

Alina rolled her eyes. She had a fairly good idea why there was a wounded man in Camelot. 'How was the tavern, Merlin?' she inquired innocently.

'I told him,' Merlin muttered, staring at his boots. 'I told him it was a bad idea. I told him you would find out.'

She chuckled. 'Don't worry, I don't even expect him to listen to me nowadays. Don't tell him I said that, though,' she added hastily.

Morgana blinked in surprise. 'Now I know what Arthur meant by that your knowledge is a bit scary every now and then. You knew this was going to happen?'

Alina grimaced. 'How I wish I didn't know every single thing that is going to happen,' she sighed. 'I've got a feeling my life would be a whole lot easier. Anyway, I take it Gwaine is in your room?'

'How…?' Merlin started, before realising this was just another bit of knowledge. 'Right.'

'He's been stabbed in his upper leg, is that right?' Alina asked innocently. She didn't always like her knowledge, but it was fun to use it and then watch everyone's faces. It wasn't very mature, but then, everyone had some faults. This was one of hers.

'And you also happen to know whether it is his right or left upper leg?' Merlin assumed.

She laughed. 'Sorry, I forgot. I think it was his right, though.'

'Hey, can someone please help me?' came Cathy's voice from the other side of the room. She had come from behind the screen and had somehow managed to almost strangle herself with the dress. Alina tried and failed not to laugh.

Morgana chuckled. 'You go with Merlin,' she said. 'I'll take care of this mess.'

'You're an angel, Morgana,' Alina said gratefully. 'You know that, right?'

The young witch nodded. 'I know that now.'

Alina smiled. Maybe Morgana would really be all right in the end.

* * *

Gwaine was exactly as she had imagined him. He was lying on Merlin's bed, unconscious, his dark hair a mess. She smiled. Even when he was out cold he had an air of nonchalance about him.

'How long has he been unconscious?' she asked.

'Since he was hit,' Merlin replied. 'Half a day or so. Gaius said that he lost a lot of blood. Can you fix that?'

She shook her head. 'I can close the wound, but I can't replace the blood he has lost, yet. There has to be some spell or potion that would do the trick, but I haven't found it.'

She walked over to the future knight and started to remove the bandages. The bleeding had stopped and Gaius had cleaned the wound. Gwaine was strong. Even without her help he would probably be fine over time, but since she had the power to speed up the healing process, she saw no reason why she shouldn't use it.

'Why don't you get him something to drink, Merlin?' she asked. 'He'll be thirsty when he wakes.'

Merlin nodded and turned to leave the room.

Suddenly remembering Gwaine's love for all things alcoholic, she called after him: 'Just water, Merlin. No alcohol!'

Merlin chuckled and left the room.

Alina concentrated on the wound. The dagger had made a very deep wound, but it was nothing she could not fix in less than a minute. She had done this so often now that she didn't even need to think about it anymore. After the battle she had helped Gaius in the hospital, taking a lot of work right out of his hands by closing more wounds than she cared to count. It was almost a routine job by now.

She closed the deep cut and healed a few minor bruises as well. Gwaine clearly liked to fight, she noted as she went over his injuries. Carefulness and restraint were two words that were obviously not in his dictionary.

His eyes opened just as she was finishing. For a moment he looked a bit disorientated, but then he noticed her at his bedside and he started to grin happily.

Realising that this was giving the wrong impression, Alina quickly got up and moved a few steps away. She had the advantage of knowing some things about him and she was not going to give him an excuse for flirting with her.

Not that he needed an excuse. 'I must have made it to heaven after all,' he remarked.

Alina interrupted. 'That must have been the first time I heard Camelot referred to as heaven,' she commented. 'Glad to see you awake, Gwaine. You have been unconscious for half a day.'

Luckily she had managed to distract him now. 'How do you know my name?'

She shrugged. 'I'm a friend of Merlin's. He told me your name.' That wasn't true, of course, but she saw no need to bother him with all her future knowledge.

'And where did you say I was again?'

'In Camelot, in Merlin's room, to be precise,' she replied. 'He's gone to get you something to drink. He should be back soon.'

Gwaine worked himself into a sitting position. 'And you've been looking after me?'

'In a manner of speaking,' she said.

There was a twinkle in his eyes that she didn't entirely trust. He had trouble written all over his face. 'Then you are my guardian angel,' he said.

Good heavens, he wasn't trying to flirt with her already? She kept her face neutral as she replied. 'Not really. I'm just helping out.'

That didn't exactly put him off. 'I'd give you flowers if I had some,' he went on. 'You must be a princess.'

This started to sound familiar and she remembered he had tried this kind of speech on Gwen in the show. She decided to be honest. 'Yes, as it happens I am.'

It didn't work. Gwaine obviously believed this was a joke. 'I knew it!' he exclaimed triumphantly. 'You have all the looks of a real princess. So your name is probably something like Sophia or Esmeralda.' He thought about that for a moment before deciding on the latter. 'That's it. Princess Esmeralda, I would bow to you if I weren't injured.'

Alina laughed. She had to admit that even though his flirting would never work on her, it was amusing. Or, at least, it would be amusing as long as Arthur didn't get wind of it. 'It's Alina, actually,' she told him.

That wiped the smug look off his face. 'Princess Alina? As in princess Alina, the Court Sorceress?'

She rolled her eyes. 'Naturally,' she said. 'And I've got a feeling Arthur isn't going to like that you're flirting with me, no matter how grateful he is for you saving his life.'

He moaned. 'I've saved prince Arthur?'

Alina snorted. She knew how Gwaine felt about nobles, of course, but she had believed he would not utter his dislike in the presence of a noble. Oh, well, she really shouldn't have been surprised. Gwaine wasn't known for his tact after all.

'I take it you don't really like nobility,' she commented. 'We're not all bad, you know.'

Now it was Gwaine's turn to snort.

'Grow up,' she told him. 'Just a minute ago you were trying to flirt with me.'

She knew that she had liked the character from the show, mainly because he was so easy-going and charming. The real Gwaine was not very different, with the one minor drawback that she happened to be a noble and Gwaine absolutely loathed nobility. It would be difficult to get him to see that there were also very decent persons among them.

Gwaine grinned at her. 'Well, you were more or less telling me that it wasn't working anyway, but if you think I still stand a chance…' He let his voice trail off.

Maybe this wouldn't be so difficult at all. She laughed. 'No, thanks for the offer, but I think I'll stick with Arthur. No offence meant, of course.'

'And you don't happen to have a sister?' he tried, still teasing.

Alina chuckled. 'As it happens, I do actually have one,' she replied. 'Ah, and here's Merlin again. I'll leave you in his good care.'

She smiled at Merlin and then turned to leave the room, but right before she exited, she added; 'And she's still single.'

She smirked at the idea of Cathy dealing with Gwaine. The poor man wouldn't know what hit him.

**The next chapter will be uploaded either Wednesday or Thursday. In the meantime, let me know what you think!**


	72. Chapter 72

**Hello everyone, and here's chapter 72 already. I wanted to say thank you for the reviews. They made me very happy. I really will do something with Gwaine and Cathy, just not in this chapter. Having said that, I hope you will enjoy it nonetheless.**

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**Chapter 72**

**Merlin**

Merlin was glad that Gwaine was recovering, but the downside of that recovery was that he was going to get back to taking care of Arthur again. He had only been away for one afternoon, but already the state of the room gave him a near heart attack.

'What happened here?' he exclaimed in shock.

Arthur, who was sitting at his desk, reading some important looking papers, didn't even look up when he replied. 'You have not been in,' he said.

'It's only been a few hours!' he protested. He almost started to believe that the prince did it on purpose.

He snorted. 'Don't make such a fuss, Merlin,' he said. 'It's not as if you can't fix it with one flick of your wrist.'

'Very funny,' Merlin muttered, but he cast the spell nonetheless. If Arthur was giving him permission to use magic to clean up this mess, he was not going to do it all by hand. 'Why are you even in here anyway? Shouldn't you be training for your mêlée?'

'I don't need to explain myself to you,' he said indignantly.

That comment hurt a little, although Merlin knew that it wasn't meant to be hurting. It probably was just harmless banter, but it stung all the same. Over the last month, ever since Alina had come back and he had revealed his magic to Arthur, they had become something very close to being friends, equal in many ways. Arthur may still be royalty and he still a servant, but they were also two sides of a coin, destined to do great things, Arthur as the Once and Future King and Merlin as the most powerful warlock to ever live. For Arthur to treat him as being below him, that hurt.

Merlin remained silent as he put the room back in its original state, trying to bite back his disappointment, trying his hardest not to let it show.

Arthur read the last paper and then put it down, throwing his quill forcefully on top of the pile. 'How's Gwaine?' he inquired then.

Merlin let Arthur's clothes float back into the cupboard before he replied. 'Alina closed the wound,' he reported. 'But he did lose a lot of blood and there is no way she can replace that, so he'll have to take it easy for a few days.'

'I'm glad to hear it,' Arthur said. He sounded relieved. 'I can't understand why he risked his life for me.'

'I dare say that he doesn't understand that either,' Merlin muttered under his breath. He had become aware of Gwaine's absolute dislike of nobles in general, and royalty especially. He seemed to think that all nobles were arrogant and uncaring. While Merlin could not argue with Arthur being an arrogant prat from time to time, he could never call the prince uncaring, ever. And if Gwaine gave him the chance to prove that, he would see that.

Merlin supposed that Gwaine would change his view on the subject of nobles over time. He did not have real evidence to support that statement, but he found the fact that Alina was obviously aware of Gwaine's existence before she had even met him encouraging. After all, she had not started to panic about him being a threat to what she playfully called national security. She had done so every time someone had come to Camelot who did threaten the peace or the life of the royal family.

'What's that?' Arthur questioned, eyeing Merlin warily.

Oops. He had not spoken as quietly as he had thought. 'I said that he doesn't know that either. Apparently he just did it on instinct.'

'Sounds like he might get along with Alina spectacularly,' Arthur commented.

Merlin chuckled at that idea. He had been eavesdropping on the conversation, if you could call it that, between Gwaine and Alina. He had been busy trying to flirt with her until he had learned that she actually was a real princess, one of the nobles that he so disliked. Merlin, however, did not believe that his dislike had lasted long. When he had come in, Gwaine had already been flirting again.

He wondered how that had happened. Maybe it was because Alina had healed his leg and behaved like she was his equal. She didn't treat people as if they were far below her, a quality for which Merlin was eternally grateful. It was the main reason why they had become friends, after all.

'It would seem so,' he agreed. 'Last time I checked he was busy trying to charm her.'

These words didn't fail to trigger an immediate reaction, as Merlin knew they would. 'What?!' Arthur yelled.

'It didn't work, obviously,' Merlin reassured him. 'Alina told him off. She told him that she has you, but that Cathy is still single.'

Arthur snorted. 'Good luck to him.'

Merlin frowned. 'Cathy's not that bad.'

'The woman is a nightmare. I can't believe that she is actually related to Alina. They couldn't be more different.'

'Really?' Merlin said. 'I thought they were very much alike.' The sisters did not only share their looks, but also wits and sense of humour. Cathy was just a little more outgoing and impulsive, while Alina thought first and acted then. But they both were very clever and very alike in character.

'Well, you didn't have to listen to her endless chatter about something called a parliament and democracy and a lot of other ridiculous ideas about politics.'

Merlin chuckled. He had been able to avoid Alina's sister until now, but he had heard Morgana's complaints about the girl. Apparently she had very outspoken ideas about how the kingdom should be run. Morgana had even gone as far as to say that she was glad that the elder sister and not the younger had been thrown back in time. The worst part of it was that Merlin couldn't find it in him to disagree.

The sunny side of Alina bringing her sister to Camelot was that she would brighten the place up a little. As long as she was around, it was unlikely to get boring around here. And her wit would be more than a match for Gwaine.

'What, did she say that the mêlée was a waste of time and money?' Merlin teased. 'Because _that_ is not ridiculous at all.' He shrugged. 'It's completely true.'

'What would you know about mêlées, _Mer_lin?' Arthur retorted. 'It's not like you've ever been in one of them.'

'Thank goodness for that,' Merlin said. 'All I see is people getting the seven bells knocked out of them so that the last man standing can be called the winner.' Being a physician's dogsbody had learned him one important lesson: tournaments caused a lot of injuries and therefore a lot of work. Tournaments were only in existence so that knights had a good opportunity to show off, which was a complete waste of time. If they wanted to show off so much, they could do that on the training field as well.

Arthur, of course, disagreed. 'The mêlée is the ultimate test of strength and courage,' he corrected.

Merlin raised his eyebrows. 'Are you sure we are talking about the same thing?'

'Well, I wouldn't expect you to understand,' Arthur said. 'You're not a knight.'

And thank goodness for that as well. The more Merlin learned about knighthood, the more tedious it appeared. 'If that means I don't get clobbered around the head, I'm glad of it,' he said, before making his way out of the room with Arthur's dirty clothing, which he would magically wash later that day.

He should have known that he would not get off that easy. 'I'm afraid it doesn't,' he heard Arthur's voice say and before he could turn around to see what this was all about, one of the goblets hit him hard on the shoulder.

'Ow!' he exclaimed.

Arthur was standing at his desk still, smiling in amusement and Merlin swore that he was going to pay for this, one way or another. Arthur probably anticipated that, but it didn't really matter. In the last few weeks the prince seemed to have taken a liking to Merlin's magical jokes. Well, he had asked for it and he would get it.

**Morgana**

'He threw a goblet at your head?' Morgana echoed, trying her hardest not to sound too indignant.

Merlin merely shrugged. 'He does that all the time. He means no harm.'

Morgana begged to differ. She couldn't even tell why she was so angry with Arthur over this. She didn't actually care for Merlin, did she? Oh, well, who was she fooling anyway? She did care. She may not have done so the week before, but she certainly did now. The unfortunate incident with the goblin, as Alina called it, had changed something. She could not say what exactly that was or when it had happened, but she had not come out the same.

Maybe it had something to do with working together so much. Maybe that had created some kind of bond. But no matter what had caused it, she had been unable to get Merlin out of her head since then.

'He means no harm?' she repeated. 'How is throwing a goblet at someone's head supposed to be harmless?'

'At least it wasn't his armour,' Merlin said. 'Anyway, the goblet was just the closest object within his reach.'

She wasn't sure what else the prince sent in Merlin's direction when he was in a bad mood, but she had asked before she had given herself permission to do so. 'What else has he flung at your head?'

Merlin shrugged again. 'Apples, socks, pillows, clothes,' he summed up. 'Anyway, I'm pretty good at dodging all that, so he doesn't often hit me.'

'I'll hit him if he doesn't stop,' Morgana muttered under her breath.

'Now look who's changed her tune,' Alina commented.

They were all three of them assembled in her room. Cathy was nowhere to be seen, for which Morgana was grateful. Alina always had this strange things she did and said, most likely because she was from the future, but that they could put up with. Cathy was just plain weird. She had opinions about nearly every subject in existence and seemed to think that the time and place in which they were living were completely backwards.

Morgana blushed. 'He has no right to behave like this!' she said loudly, ignoring Alina's remark.

'Let me break it down for you, he has every right,' Alina pointed out. 'He's the prince of Camelot. He can more or less do as he pleases.'

Morgana moaned. 'Tell me again why I agreed to help you two protect him?' It was the first time she actually spoke the words, but she had done it before. There was no point in denying that any longer. She had played a significant role in the goblin affair. She may have told herself that that wasn't helping Camelot at all, but she couldn't even fool herself to believe that.

Perhaps the strangest thing about all this was that she had felt good after the goblin had been forced back in the box. All those involved (Arthur, Merlin, Alina, Cathy, Leon, Gaius and Morgana herself) had thrown a kind of victory party in Arthur's room that night. To her own surprise Morgana had to conclude that she had not felt so comfortable and happy in ages. The party made her feel like she belonged to the group. Even Arthur, who mistrusted her deeply before that, had made an effort to be nice to her.

At the end of the party, when Alina and she had been walking back to their chambers, she had suddenly heard herself saying: 'If protecting Camelot is always this much fun, make sure you let me know when the next crisis is, will you?' She was shocked at hearing those words coming out of her mouth. She blamed the wine. But if she was really honest with herself, she wasn't easily affected by alcohol and she hadn't drunk that much, as opposed to Arthur, who had ended up having a pillow fight with sir Leon, after which Alina had wisely announced the party to be at an end.

She was even more shocked to see Alina nod and hear her say: 'Sure. You may not even need to wait for too long.'

So that was why she ended up being in Alina's room right now. The tournament was only days away and Alina had asked both Merlin and Morgana to come to her room, as she suspected someone to make an attempt at Arthur's life in the mêlée. Morgana couldn't blame her for thinking like that; she had yet to see a tournament where someone didn't try to assassinate the crown prince of Camelot.

'Because you promised me,' Alina reminded her.

'The question was rhetorical,' Morgana explained. She saw Merlin's surprised, but very pleased, smile as she said that. He was practically beaming and she felt that she blushed. She knew that Alina had seen it, but the princess ignored it.

'Do you have any suspects?' Merlin asked. 'There will be lots of knights, and their servants, in the castle. It would be nice if we could narrow it down a bit.'

Morgana nodded in agreement. 'Does your legend say anything about the identity of the assassins?'

Alina nodded. 'Legend offers very much information on that subject. Very specifically, in fact.'

'Do we know them?' Morgana wondered. She had seen more tournaments than she cared to remember and Uther had made her spend hours in learning their names and lineages. There were very few knights in the realm that she would not recognize, if not by their face, then by their shield. Most of them were no threat to the prince and there were very few who had a quarrel with either Uther or Arthur, to her knowledge at least, although she had to admit that her information was a bit outdated after her one year absence.

'Merlin does,' Alina replied. She turned to Arthur's servant. 'It will be the men you and Arthur had a quarrel with the other day in the tavern. They want their revenge on Arthur for making them look stupid and taking their money back to the rightful owner.'

Morgana frowned. 'But you told me they were commoners,' she said to Merlin. 'They're no knights. They will have no right to compete in the mêlée.' This last sentence was spoken to Alina.

The princess grimaced. 'And that is where this whole business is getting nasty. They won't come as themselves. They will use magic to disguise themselves as knights and fight with enchanted weapons that will appear to be blunt, but really are razor sharp.'

Morgana gasped. 'That is very advanced magic,' she exclaimed. 'Are you saying that they are sorcerers?'

Alina shook her head. 'No, they just bought the items, at least according to legend.'

She frowned again. 'Are you saying that legend isn't always right?' She had, without deciding to, come to think that Alina's knowledge about future events was absolute, something you could rely on. The idea that that wasn't necessarily true was a bit unnerving.

'Let me explain on the way down,' Alina said. 'I can see some of our guests arriving.' Her face told Morgana that she didn't like this whole greeting thing one bit, but unfortunately it was part of her duty now.

'The dangerous guests?' Merlin asked.

'The very ones,' Alina confirmed.

'But what if legend is wrong about them as well?' Morgana questioned.

'It won't,' Alina reassured her. 'Legend is always right when it comes to the really important parts. The devil is in the detail, really. I'm sure you remember our dear friend the Witchfinder?'

She snorted. 'How could I forget?'

'Well, legend said that he was just a fraud, who was being set up as a sorcerer. It however failed to mention that he really was one,' Alina explained.

Morgana thought about that for a minute. 'So, the assassins could very well have magic too?'

'Let's hope not,' Merlin muttered under his breath.

'Indeed, let's hope not,' Alina said. 'But yes, it is possible. We'll have to tread very carefully.'

'Great,' Merlin said sarcastically.

'So, as which knights are they posing?' Morgana asked.

'Sir Oswald and sir Ethan,' Alina replied. 'I have never seen them before in my life, but do you happen to know them?'

'I have never heard of sir Ethan,' Morgana said thoughtfully. 'But sir Oswald is well known around here. A few years ago he went to every tournament there was. He did rather well, too, if I remember correctly, but after he broke his leg one time he decided to take it easy for a while. This would be the first time in about five years that he is going to compete in a tournament again.' She remembered sir Oswald well from when she was younger. He was always very kind, very courteous, even to the servants. That was remarkable and probably the reason she remembered him so well.

'He isn't competing,' Alina said, sounding angry. 'He's most likely to be dead by now. That scum will not have wanted to risk the real knights to show their faces around here.'

Morgana tried to keep her face neutral, because they were outside now, but she could not help but feeling shocked. Somehow protecting Arthur and Camelot had never appeared to be dangerous before, but Alina's words forced her to face reality. These guys weren't going to stop and they would kill, had already killed, to achieve their goal. Everyone who stood in their way could get hurt.

Arthur was standing in the middle of the courtyard, greeting two knights, of which she recognized one of them immediately as sir Oswald. He didn't seem to have changed at all since she had last seen him.

'He looks the same,' she whispered to Alina.

'That's the magic,' the Court Sorceress whispered back.

She supposed Alina had a point there. She knew magic could do exactly that, but still, she found it hard to believe, maybe because she didn't really want to.

'I didn't think you would be brave enough to show up!' she heard Arthur say as she came closer.

'And miss the chance of putting you on your backside?' Oswald retorted. He sounded cheerful, but there was a guarded look in his eyes, one Morgana knew all too well, as she had felt the same when she was still trying to dethrone Uther. It was the look of someone who was doing something that was both extremely dangerous and against the law, and therefore feeling very ill at ease. Only that look made Alina's theory more plausible.

'You've never managed it before,' Arthur reminded him.

'That was then, this is now,' Oswald, or his double, said.

'Too true,' Arthur admitted, before turning around. He saw them and beckoned them closer. 'Sir Oswald, I'm sure you remember the Lady Morgana?'

Morgana forced her face into a smile. 'Sir Oswald, I'm so glad to see you in Camelot again.' It was a good thing she was such a good liar or he would have seen straight through her. 'It must have been eight years ago, if my memory serves me right.'

'Indeed,' Oswald said.

_Liar!_ she thought, no longer doubting Alina's words. She had gotten the date wrong on purpose, to see if he would correct her, but he didn't, which was proof enough that this wasn't the real sir Oswald. This man was a fraud.

She watched as Arthur introduced Alina, as both his fiancée and the Court Sorceress, and she noticed that both "knights" moved uneasy at the mention of that title. No doubt they were afraid that she, as a sorceress, could see right through their magical disguises. How right they were.

'And this is my servant Merlin,' Arthur introduced. 'He will be looking after you for the duration of your stay. He loves hard work, so anything you need, just give him a call.'

She saw Merlin's face darken, but Morgana had to admit that it would be the perfect way to spy on them. No one else would be able to get as close to them. If Merlin was discovered in their chambers he could simply say that he was doing his job and no one would think anything about it.

But she also had to admit that she didn't like the look on "sir Oswald's" face either. He studied Arthur's servant with a look that said that he'd rather have him for lunch than have him serving them. 'Believe me, I will,' he said, before marching into the castle. 'Merlin!' he yelled.

'God have mercy,' he whispered. It sounded like a plea to Morgana and she gave him a pitying look as reply, before he hurried after them.

Arthur grinned at them. 'So, what do you think of them? Do they stand a chance against me?'

Alina snorted. 'The size of your ego never ever ceases to amaze me.'

He ignored that. 'Do they stand a chance?' he insisted.

'I think the most important question is not whether they stand a chance against you, Arthur,' Morgana said. 'But whether you stand a chance against them.'

Arthur looked thoroughly confused. 'What are you talking about?' he demanded.

'That man is not the real sir Oswald,' she told him.

Arthur immediately turned to Alina for a second opinion. 'That isn't true,' he said, but it sounded more like a question than a statement. Having said that, it stung a little that he didn't take her word for it.

Alina sighed. 'I'm afraid it is.'

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**Next chapter should be up on Sunday and Gwaine will make another appearance. In the meantime, please leave a review to tell me what you think.**


	73. Chapter 73

**Hello everyone. Here's the new chapter. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 73**

**Alina**

Things really started to spiral out of hand that evening. Wanna-be Oswald had kept Merlin busy all afternoon, after which he had been called to collect a very drunk Gwaine from the tavern, Arthur had wanted to kill the bandits in magical disguise and had only listened to reason after she had magically frozen and silenced him and Cathy had managed to land herself in the stocks after calling Lord Harold a pompous, fat tyrant. Alina had to pull a lot of strings to get her released. She could only hope that her sister had learned her lesson by now.

The only one who didn't get herself in trouble was Morgana, for which Alina was eternally grateful. Because by the time they had finally assembled in Gaius's quarters to discuss the current crisis, she was close to exhaustion.

'We should just kill them,' Arthur insisted.

Alina sighed. He had said that at least twenty times in one afternoon and her answer remained the same. 'We can't,' she said.

'Why not, eh?' Gwaine said.

'Only imagine what the king will say when he learns that two noblemen have been killed. People have been known to hang for less serious crimes,' she pointed out.

'We'll need proof,' Morgana said. The young witch was pacing around the room, thinking out loud. In a way she reminded Alina of herself. Maybe they were more alike than she would have ever believed. 'We're going to need a lot of that if we want to convince Uther that they are not who they claim to be.'

Cathy frowned. 'But they are using magic. That's still illegal, right?'

Merlin nodded. 'Yes.' _Unfortunately_, he added over the mind link.

_Except when you happen to be princess Alina, of course_, she teased.

He grimaced. _Very funny._

_Yes, that's me._

'Well, then why can't you just go to Uther and tell them that you suspect them of using magic, Alina? Surely he will give you a carte blanche to investigate the matter further?' Cathy suggested.

Arthur nodded. 'That's not a totally stupid idea.'

'Yes, it is,' Alina disagreed. 'I may be Court Sorceress, but I do not have carte blanche to accuse anyone, knights least of all, without so much as a hint that they are here for anything more than the tournament. I need to have something, no matter how small, to be allowed to do any further digging.'

'Unfortunately she has a point,' Merlin said, groaning in frustration.

'But that's ridiculous!' Cathy exclaimed. 'There is a serious threat here and you would not be allowed to do anything about it? Good heavens, this place really is totally backwards.'

Alina's patience was practically non-existent now. They were faced with a threat to Arthur's life, which looked like she was not going to be able to do anything about, she was tired and she had just heard one too many sneers about this time. She snapped. 'Could you please do us all a huge favour and shut your mouth, Catherine? In case it had escaped your notice, I'm trying to think of a solution here and you are distracting me. And contrary to what you think, even where we come from the police can't do anything without proof. It's no different here. So please stop praising the twenty-first century to the skies, because it's not as fantastic as you try to make us all believe!'

Cathy backed away, jaw dropped. The rest of the group blinked and stared at Alina in what appeared to be shock. She couldn't really care. At least it was silent now.

'And here I was thinking she saved the shouting matches for me,' Arthur muttered under his breath at Morgana. She tried to disguise her giggles as coughing.

'So, what do we do now, eh?' Gwaine said, the only one brave, or stupid, enough to break the silence that followed that statement.

Alina hadn't really thought about it, but now that she did, it seemed strange that Gwaine would be willing to help them. After all, it was Arthur's life that was at stake here and the future knight had made it more than clear that he did not approve of royalty. So what exactly he was doing here at this particular meeting was a mystery to her.

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. 'Why are you even here, Gwaine?' she questioned. 'I was under the impression that you hated royalty. What makes you want to help us?'

He shrugged. 'Well, your chances look like between slim and none,' he replied. He smiled widely at her. 'I guess I like the sound of that.' He winked at Cathy. 'And maybe it will change this dear lady's opinion on me.'

Cathy coloured deep red and shot him an angry look. Alina tried not to chuckle. It would seem that Gwaine had wasted no time at all and was already trying to win her sister's favour. It would also seem, from Cathy's expression, that he was less than successful.

But whatever his motivation was, it was clear to her that in this particular case, they had him on side and that could only be useful.

'Does legend not have anything to say about this?' Merlin asked.

'Of course it does,' Alina said. 'But the plan you come up with in legend backfires spectacularly and ends up with Gwaine being sent into exile, and has no further result whatsoever.'

'Which means that those bastards end up killing me?' Arthur exclaimed in shock.

She snorted. 'You spent too much time in my sister's company. It rubs off badly on your language. And of course they will not kill you. But it will all be coming down to the very last minute and that's a bit too close for comfort, especially when legend decides to play tricks on us again. I don't want to risk it.' She groaned in frustration. 'There has to be another way. If only I had something to show to Uther, make him allow me investigate…'

'So, we need proof,' Morgana stated. 'Hard proof that they are using magic to cheat in the tournament. They got those swords and that would be considered cheating, right?' She looked at Arthur for confirmation.

He nodded.

'Which means that we need to get our hands on those, show them to Uther and then persuade him to let Alina investigate what else they have been up to,' Morgana reasoned. 'She is, after all, our official expert on all things magic. After that, it will be almost too easy to uncover the rest of their plans.'

Arthur nodded. 'It's getting the swords that's the tricky part.'

'No, it isn't!' Morgana disagreed. 'Merlin has already been assigned to them as their servant. He can walk in and out of those rooms at all times. No one will question his presence in there.' She turned to Merlin. 'Do you think you can do it, Merlin?'

Alina wondered if she was the only one who noticed that Morgana's voice had become soft, kind and almost sweet as she talked to the warlock. _Mergana pairing? Absolutely_, she thought to herself. She was happy for them. She remembered thinking it before, but she still meant it. Even if she would change nothing else it was a comfort to know that these two had found each other. Being a servant and a lady would not make their relationship any easier, but she really believed that they could make it work, if only because they were both so stubborn and would never let this go because someone simply told them to.

Merlin practically beamed. 'Sure,' he quickly reassured her.

Alina raised her hand to shut him up. 'And that's where you're wrong,' she told him. 'If you try to steal the swords from their room, you'll get caught and get dragged in front of the king. And who do you think he will believe? You or a knight?'

'But we can back up the story!' Morgana protested. 'Surely he'll have to listen then?'

But that was wishful thinking and Alina knew it. 'He won't,' she said. 'You can back up the story, but when it comes down to it, you only have my word for it and Uther doesn't share your trust in my knowledge of the future.'

'So, we still need the swords,' Arthur said.

'Are you deaf?' Cathy demanded, seeming to forget that she wasn't allowed to talk anymore. 'Alina just told you that isn't possible. Do that and Merlin gets caught.'

Alina's brain was working at top speed now. There didn't seem to be another option, but she knew that would end up with Gwaine's exile and no proof whatsoever against that scum. Unless…

Her face split into a grin that probably looked very Merlinish. 'That doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing,' she told them.

The rest of the group looked at her as if she had just lost her mind, although they were too polite to say so.

'I don't understand,' Merlin said, confused. 'I thought that would achieve nothing.'

She quickly explained what she had just thought of. By the end of that explanation almost everyone stared at her in disbelief.

'You. Can't. Be. Serious,' Arthur said, speaking each word as if it was a full sentence.

'I am,' she said. 'Unless you have a better plan, of course.'

Gwaine was the only one who didn't seem affected by the seriousness of the situation. He was sitting on Gaius's table, completely relaxed and grinning like an idiot. 'Reckless, risky and dangerous,' he summarised the plan. 'I like it. When do we get started?'

**Merlin**

_I must be insane_, Merlin thought to himself as he walked as quietly as he could through the corridors towards the quarters of the bandits in disguise. _I can't believe I actually said yes when she asked!_

He remembered thinking not so long ago that Cathy was the sister with the reckless ideas. Alina was supposed to be the sensible one. And yet this was her plan.

Almost everyone had thought it was too dangerous, with Gwaine being the obvious exception, of course. But when Alina had explained it further and Morgana started to see the logic of it, he hadn't exactly been able to say no when she asked him to do it. His brain had clearly stated that this was a dangerous plan, but when he answered he had heard a _yes, of course_, instead of a _no way_ coming out of his mouth. If he didn't know any better he might have thought that she had enchanted him.

The plan was really simple in fact: go to the room, try to get the sword and then get caught and dragged in front of the king, after which Alina would take over, saying that she would like to investigate this matter herself. Merlin knew she was good at reasoning with the king, but even he had to admit that there were a lot of holes in this plan. And there really was no guarantee that this would even work, but, as Alina had pointed out, it was the best chance they had. And it had been almost impossible to contradict that.

At least he was not completely on his own. Morgana and Alina had spent an hour setting up something Alina liked to call a mental network, which allowed them to talk to each other over the mind link. Their complete group had been included in this network, although Cathy and Gwaine were still under the impression that Alina had created it on her own. They had all agreed that the information about Morgana (and Merlin) having magic should be kept a secret as long as possible, even though Cathy already knew apparently. In the future their secret was obviously not that much of a secret anymore.

Oh, great, speaking of the devil. _This is really exiting! _Cathy's mental voice said._ Makes me feel like a real spy in one of those movies, you know._

He didn't need to see Alina's face to know that she would like to do nothing more than kicking her younger sister out of the network, but unfortunately, Cathy was very observant and that could come in handy tonight. It didn't prevent her, however, from snapping at her. _How many times have I told you to cut back on those movies, Cathy? This _isn't _a film. This is real and none of us actually need your babbling right now. Shut. Up. Or I swear I'll kick you out._

The princess's patience was at an all-time low and fortunately Cathy noticed. Merlin knew his friend well enough to know that she didn't really mean to get angry, but she was tense and tired, not such a good combination.

_Are you all right, Merlin?_ Alina asked.

_Great, actually_, he replied sarcastically. To be honest, he was nervous. Doing something dangerous, that was nothing new. He did that on a daily basis. Getting caught on purpose was another matter entirely.

_Look who's overdoing the sarcasm now_, she retorted.

_Merlin, you'll have to be careful_, Gwaine's voice said. _Ugh, this is weird_. Merlin could feel some of his confusion at talking to someone with his mind. _Anyway, careful with the blades. I've seen those in action. They're forged using sorcery._

Now this was a surprise. Merlin was mentally stunned for a few seconds. Gwaine had seen this kind of weapon before?

Alina was not that surprised. She was angry. _And you are only saying this now, because…?_

Whenever she used that voice, Merlin knew he had to watch out. Gwaine didn't know that. He simply shrugged. _It didn't come up._

Alina snorted. _Good thing I already knew this, then. If I hadn't I might feel like throwing you in the dungeons right now._

Merlin blocked their bickering out. He had arrived at his destination and it wouldn't do to get distracted by anything right now. The room was dark and completely quiet, apart from sir Oswald's snores, that almost made Merlin believe that a pig had gotten into the room. Well, at least his snoring was a perfect cover for any noise he might make.

_Okay, Alina, where to now?_ he asked.

_Let me see the room_, she demanded.

Merlin knew that when she was looking through his eyes she could only see what he saw, so he turned his head slowly to give her the chance to examine the room.

_Over there_, she pointed as he looked at a cupboard on the other side of the room. _The chest beside the cabinet._

_Are you sure?_

She mentally snorted. _Shouldn't you know by now that I am always right? Could you just do as you're told?_

_That's not going to work,_ Arthur remarked. _He never does_.

Merlin ignored that. He walked over to the chest, opened it and started searching the contents as quietly as he could. Sir Oswald wasn't supposed to wake yet. First he needed to make sure that everything was as Alina remembered it.

He didn't need to search for long. The enchanted sword lay practically on top of all the mess. He took it and held it out to study it closer. It looked like it was as blunt as any other weapon that was used in tournaments, but he could feel that there was something not right about it. Maybe that was because he knew that it was enchanted, but he could also sense the magic that was used in forging the sword.

_This is it?_ he checked.

Alina gave a mental nod. _Looks like it and it definitely has a magic feel about it._

_Wicked,_ Cathy commented.

Merlin could feel the waves of anger rolling off his friend. _Do I speak Chinese, Cathy? I thought I had told you to shut up. Keep quiet!_

Gwaine snickered. _You're free to talk to me, dear lady_, he thought at Alina's sister.

_Quiet_, Alina warned. _Or I'll kick you both out!_

_Please do_, Morgana begged.

On second thought, this mental network might not have been the best of ideas. Merlin could tell that Cathy's current behaviour was bugging everyone, except Gwaine, and Alina's mood wasn't too good either. The young warlock knew that she didn't really mean to be so edgy, but she hadn't slept well for some days and now there was a crisis that required her full attention, while her sister was trying to be as immature as she could. He understood her irritation, but it didn't mean that he liked it.

_What do I do with it now? _Merlin wondered as he studied the blade. It felt like any other sword, but that didn't mean anything. Maybe he should test the edges.

_Do. Not. Touch. That!_ Alina immediately reacted.

But it was already too late. The blade, although appearing to be blunt, was as sharp as a razor, as Merlin's thumb could testify. 'Ow!' he exclaimed in a hushed voice before he could stop himself.

_Told you that he never does as he's told,_ Arthur said.

Merlin's cry had disturbed sir Oswald. He rolled over on his back, fortunately still asleep, revealing a big crystal on a necklace, lying on his bare chest.

_Get a closer look at that_, Alina commanded. _Leave the sword._

Merlin put the sword back and closed the chest. No one would ever guess that he had been here. When he had finished that, he walked over to the bed.

_And remember, do not let your blood touch that crystal_, Alina warned.

_Why not?_ Morgana asked, interested.

_Because the crystal makes the bearer resemble anyone whose blood is on it. So if Merlin's blood gets on that stone…_ She let her mental voice trail off, leaving the rest of the group to draw the conclusion for themselves.

…_We have Merlin's double lying in that bed_, Morgana finished.

Gwaine laughed.

Merlin felt rather disgusted at the idea of this fraud walking around looking like him, so he wrapped his finger in his neckerchief and then picked the crystal up to have a better look at it. It glowed a little, but that was not what disturbed Merlin most. In the stone he could see a man's face, sleeping, with exactly the same expression as sir Oswald's. Merlin recognized the face immediately.

_That's him, the bandit from the tavern!_ Arthur exclaimed.

_I know_, Alina said.

Merlin didn't react to that. He was otherwise occupied. The face in the crystal had opened his eyes, and Merlin had the uneasy feeling that he could see him. It was a very unwelcome experience to learn that the man in the stone had opened his eyes, because the real man had just done the same some seconds earlier.

_Gwaine, get over there!_ he could hear Alina shout. _Now!_

At least, he thought she did. He wasn't really paying attention. That might have something to do with the fact that sir Oswald's double had just dragged him across the room, shoving him against the wall.

'What were you doing here?' he snarled.

'I was just rearranging the bedclothes, that's all!' he blurted out. Even to his own ears it sounded like the worst excuse imaginable.

The bandit didn't buy it. He threw a knife at Merlin's head, which embedded itself in the wood above his head. 'Do you hear that, sir Ethan?' wanna-be Oswald said. Merlin wondered when he had gotten into the room, but that didn't really matter now, because another knife only just missed his face. 'He was just rearranging the bedclothes.'

'My mistake,' the other fraud said. 'He's not the snivelling thief I thought he was.' His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

He started to really panic when Oswald picked up a sword.

_Merlin!_ Morgana yelled in fear on top of her mental longs.

_What the hell is taking you so long, Gwaine?_ Alina snapped.

_On my way_, he replied.

Well, he had better be, because sir Oswald was going for Merlin right there and then. Fortunately, dodging all the objects Arthur liked to throw at him paid off. He ducked just in time and made a sprint for the other side of the room, only just out of reach of his attacker.

'I thought you might be cold!' he cried, trying his hardest to talk his way out of this, even though he knew that wasn't going to work.

And naturally, this didn't do the trick either. 'Of course you did,' Oswald said. The fact that he swung his sword at Merlin again undermined his words a little.

He wasn't sure how long he would last in this fight. After all, his opponents were trained men and, as Arthur just loved to remind him, he was absolutely worthless with a sword. And he couldn't use magic here. That was bound to land him in prison.

'Is there a problem here?' Gwaine's voice asked and Merlin breathed out in relief. Right now, the man was a gift from heaven.

_Yes_, Merlin responded over the mind link, but he guessed Gwaine already knew that much. The situation was pretty obvious.

'No,' sir Oswald lied. 'Now leave.'

Gwaine ignored him, which Merlin thought might not be such a good idea. The bandit looked pretty dangerous to him. 'You all right, Merlin?'

Merlin shook his head. 'No,' he meant to say, but he was slightly out of breath and his reply was hardly more than a whisper.

'I thought I told you to leave?' Oswald said.

Gwaine looked at him with perfect disinterest. 'I wasn't talking to you.'

Now he had succeeded in angering the pair of them. 'How dare you speak to a knight like that?' sir Ethan demanded.

The next moment both bandits lashed out at Gwaine. Merlin prepared to help, no matter how little use he was in a fight, but at the first blow he could see that Gwaine didn't need any help. The man was phenomenal with a sword, disarming the fake sir Ethan in less than a minute, before taking on the fake sir Oswald.

_Go, Gwaine!_ Cathy mentally cheered.

_Okay, that's enough!_ Alina announced. _You're out!_

_Wait, what, you can't…_ They didn't hear what Alina wasn't supposed to be doing, because she had really kicked her sister out. Well, thank goodness for small mercies. The young woman was seriously getting on everyone's nerves.

In the time that Merlin had focused on the mind link, Gwaine had been doing extremely well in the fight. Merlin had even started to believe that they would make it out unscathed after all when sir Leon and some other knights marched into the room, demanding what was going on here.

Merlin sighed, defeated. He should have known Alina was right about this. They had made too much noise to go unnoticed.

Gwaine was distracted for only a second, but sir Oswald jumped at the chance. He knocked Gwaine to the floor and then pointed at him. 'This man attacked me!' he declared. 'I demand an audience with the king.'

As Gwaine was picked off the floor by some guards and dragged with them, Merlin could hear Alina's voice in his head. _Got you!_

* * *

**That's it for today. Next chapter will be the audience with the king and should involve some cleverness, Gwaine and probably some action. In the meantime, I like your opinions on this chapter, please.**


	74. Chapter 74

**Here's chapter 74 already. I hope you like it. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 74**

**Arthur**

Arthur watched from his chair as Alina paced about the room, a constant frown on her face. She had been doing that for ten minutes on end and he was getting a little nervous from just watching her.

'Sit down, Alina,' he said. 'Merlin will be fine.'

She shook her head. 'We can't be sure, can we?'

'Legend says he will be fine,' Arthur shrugged. Alina could say all she wanted about legend playing tricks, but when it came down to it, everything either turned out either exactly as legend dictated or better than legend had meant. He didn't really worry and neither should his fiancée.

'Don't you think we think we should have been called by now?' she wondered, trying in vain not to let her panic show.

'It's been barely ten minutes,' he reminded her. He noticed briefly that their roles seemed to be reversed again. Normally she was the calm one, completely in control of the situation, no matter how serious or dangerous that situation was, telling everyone around her to stay calm, because everything would be fine in the end. It felt wrong that he was now the one to tell her to remain calm. 'They need to wake my father up first, and he won't make an appearance in his night's clothing. Count on that. It'll take time.'

'You're probably right,' she sighed, lowering herself onto a chair. She poured herself a glass of water. 'It's just… I'm nervous,' she confessed. 'I want for this to work so badly, but I don't know if I can pull it off. Right now, I'm asking myself what on earth was possessing me when I thought this was a good idea.'

'You were thinking that it was the best chance we have,' Arthur pointed out. 'Could you please stop worrying, Alina? You're making me edgy, behaving like this. Normally you're the one telling me not to fret.'

She managed half a smile. 'You're right.'

'Again?' he teased.

She glared at him. 'Don't get used to it,' she warned.

The two of them were waiting in Alina's room. Her room was closest to the old storage area where they had been following Merlin and Gwaine's adventures in the room of the fake knights. When that mission had been successfully concluded, Alina had put an end to the mental network and sent them all back to their own rooms.

'Thank the heavens,' Morgana had muttered when the mental chatter in their heads had finally been silenced.

Arthur had kept quiet, but he agreed with her wholeheartedly. He had to admit that it saved a lot of time to converse like that, with their minds, but he liked it better when it was just one on one. So many voices sounding in the inside of his head was… well, noisy, very noisy. He could feel a headache coming on.

Of course a very large part of that headache was Cathy's fault. Arthur wondered why on earth Alina had thought it was a good idea to take her younger sister with her to Camelot. Oh, she seemed to like the girl, truly, but she also seemed to be the only one. Oh well, not the only one, he supposed. After all, Gwaine had been trying, with trying being the operative word, to flirt with Cathy. Arthur wondered what the man saw in her. He couldn't help but think that from the two sisters, he got the better one.

She was toying with an apple, staring at the table, lost in thought again. Arthur smiled to himself. Who would have believed five years ago that he was about to marry a sorceress, and a powerful one at that? He certainly wouldn't have. The idea of it was just ridiculous. But here he was, four weeks away from his own wedding to the new Court Sorceress, who also happened to originate from the future, and he couldn't be happier.

'Penny for your thoughts?' she asked, smiling sweetly.

'I was thinking about you,' he replied. 'Us, the wedding.'

She smiled, a real smile this time. 'Let's just hope nothing interferes with it this time.'

Arthur remembered the whole Witchfinder affair all too well and he found himself agreeing with her completely. 'Let's,' he nodded. 'But it will be fine.'

'And how can you be so sure?' she demanded. 'It's not like our wedding is actually part of legend, you know.' She tried to sound teasing, but Arthur knew her too well. This was a real concern of hers.

He shrugged. 'I can't,' he said. 'But I know I'll marry you eventually.' He leaned over the table and kissed her. 'No matter how long it takes.'

She blushed. 'Glad to hear it. But I'd rather have it in four weeks' time.'

'So would I,' he admitted. He vaguely recalled telling his father, when he was only a little boy, that he would never marry, because girls were either vain or boring. Fortunately Morgana had soon started to rectify that idea, as she was only a bit of the first and nothing of the latter, and Alina had cured him from it completely. And now he was eager to get married. He imagined his younger self shiver in disgust at learning that.

She smiled and got up again, walking over to the window, staring out into the courtyard, but Arthur knew she didn't see any of it. He didn't have a direct access to her emotions, but he knew she was going over what needed to be done without that connection. He was more than familiar with that posture. He doubted she would even hear him if he talked to her.

None of them spoke for a long while and Arthur found himself going over the events of the previous hours again. He stopped thinking of it as scary when Alina predicted everything into detail and it all came true. She had told them what would happen and it happened. But there had been something strange about tonight, he just couldn't put his finger on it.

He thought about it for a while and then remembered what it was that had struck him as strange: Morgana, or, more specific: Morgana's reaction to the fact that Merlin was being threatened by the bandits. Arthur still heard her frightened scream in his head, Merlin's name being yelled with so much fear, so much desperation.

Arthur recalled Alina once exclaiming his name in a similar way, when he had been injured after his encounter with the questing beast. She had been so scared that he would die, something she would never wanted to happen, not just because of destiny, but more because she cared for him, even back then.

So, had Morgana screamed in that way because she cared for Merlin? He doubted that. Morgana may be back on their side, she might even feel some friendship towards them all, but definitely nothing more. Too much had passed between them. As far as Arthur was concerned, they would never go back to trusting each other fully, and he was perfectly all right with that.

But the fact remained, Morgana had screamed. She could not have been faking that. He had had that kind of connection to her mind at the time and could tell that it had been almost on instinct, without thinking. He had felt a hint of fear and desperation, but with so many companions, that could have been anyone.

'You are looking at that table as if it has gravely offended you.' Alina's voice penetrated his thoughts. She sat down on the chair opposite him and took his hands in her own. 'Can you tell me what's wrong?'

'Morgana,' he muttered.

She frowned. 'What about her?'

He shook his head, trying to clear it by moving it. 'Do you remember her screaming when Merlin was cornered?'

She nodded, an understanding look in her eyes. 'Yes, I heard.'

He looked at her, the question probably written across his face.

She sighed and nodded again. 'Yes, I think there might be something going on between them, suspected it for a while now.'

His jaw dropped. Surely she couldn't mean…? 'Going on?' he echoed. 'As in…'

She grimaced. 'For someone so bright, you can be rather thick sometimes. Yes, I think they might be in love. Or they could be, if they allowed themselves to be. There's a lot of hurt and betrayal between them, but I think they could make it work.' She snorted. 'They fancied one another even before I left. Merlin was always worrying about her and I could not mention his name in front of her without her blushing.' She smiled happily. 'And by the look of things, that hasn't changed much.'

Arthur blinked a few times, trying to process all of this. 'She is a traitor!' he exclaimed.

'She isn't anymore,' Alina pointed out, calmly, a little too calm perhaps.

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. 'Is it legend?'

She thought about it for a moment. 'Not exactly,' she replied eventually. 'It isn't a real possibility there. But it is hinted at. Well, and since legend has been changed so drastically, I believe it is a real possibility now.'

Arthur didn't know what to think. He guessed he was now supposed to point out that such a relationship could never be allowed. Merlin was a servant, at least to the world. He would never be allowed to court, let alone marry, a noble lady like Morgana. But that wasn't what he was actually thinking. He was disappointed. He couldn't help but think he had thought that the powerful warlock had better taste. How on earth could anyone fall for a woman that had been striving towards Camelot's downfall not two months ago?

'Ugh,' he muttered.

Alina was about to comment on that, but she was interrupted by someone knocking on the door.

'Come in!' she called.

Sir Leon entered. 'My lord, my lady,' he greeted. 'The king requests your presence as a matter of urgency.'

Alina looked at him, worried. It had begun.

**Alina**

Alina's heart was practically racing by the time they had reached the council chambers. Her mouth felt dry and her hands were sweaty. She didn't think she had been so nervous since the time that Arthur had announced her return to the council.

_Oh, come on, get a grip!_ she told herself firmly. _It's not like your life depends on it. Uther isn't going to have you for breakfast and he's not going to throw you in the dungeons either. He's a good king; he will hear you out. Stop being such a baby!_

Talking to herself didn't work, but then, she hadn't really expected it to. She was too nervous and the thing was that she couldn't even tell why. Arthur wouldn't die, whatever happened here tonight. No disasters would take place if she failed to change legend at this point. Yes, Gwaine would be sent into exile, but that wouldn't be forever. She knew legend well enough to know that he would return.

Or would he? With Morgana back on side, the whole episode with the Cup of Life would not take place at all, she assumed. That meant that there would be no need for Gwaine, or any of the other future Knights of the Round Table for that matter, to come to Camelot.

She massaged her temples. All this thinking and this tension was giving her a headache, not to mention the cacophony of voices in her head during the actual action part of the operation.

'You all right?' Arthur asked.

She felt like snapping, but she held herself back at the last moment. He meant well, but she really wished she could just go to bed and leave all this mess until the morning. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option now.

'Headache,' she replied curtly. 'And nervous.' That summed it up pretty well.

He squeezed her hand reassuringly. 'You can do this. I have seen you reason with Morgause. My father will be easy in comparison.'

'Yes, but I didn't exactly manage to convince Morgause, did I?' she muttered.

They had reached the council chambers, entering through the back door, which offered them the chance to take in the situation before anyone noticed them. Uther was pacing in front of the throne, Gwaine, in chains, was being kept on his knees by two guards and somewhat to the side of the room were the two fake knights. No one in the room looked particularly pleased, the king least of all.

Alina felt her hope fade away. She was supposed to persuade Uther to do as she wanted when he was as moody as that? Not for the first time she asked herself why on earth she had ever thought this idea could actually work.

'My lord,' she greeted, curtsying. That wasn't really required of her anymore, but it couldn't hurt and she needed to be on his good side tonight.

'Princess Alina,' he greeted back. 'Thank you for coming so quickly and so late at night.'

'It is no problem,' she assured him. 'What is it that you want of me?'

'Accusations have been made,' Uther said. 'I am being told that magic is being used, by him.' He beckoned to Gwaine.

'Sire, these accusations are unfounded!' sir Oswald protested. 'This man attacked me! With a sword! He tried to kill me!'

Uther was foolish enough to let it distract him. Trust him to take the side of a knight before all the evidence was on the table. 'Is this true?' he demanded, looking at Gwaine.

Gwaine avoided the king's eyes, but there was no regret in his attitude. 'I stepped in to defend Merlin,' he declared. No, he was definitely not ashamed of what he had done, would probably do it again given the chance. Alina admired him for it. He must know Uther could have him killed on the spot, but he didn't act on it. Maybe it was brave, or maybe just plain stupid. She couldn't really tell.

'I tried to talk to him,' sir Oswald continued. 'But he was like a man possessed. I am sure that sir Ethan will back me up.'

Alina had to admit, although not willingly, that this was a clever move. In only a few sentences the fraud had pointed out that it was not only the word of two knights against that of a commoner, but he also made Gwaine's accusations look ridiculous by questioning his state of mind. Alina could have strangled him there and then for taking away their case.

'Do something,' Arthur muttered under his breath. He must have realised what the man was up to as well.

'Indeed,' sir Ethan said. 'I can vouch for his every word.'

Gwaine got up, trying to get rid of the guards so that he could acquaint sir Oswald's face with his fists. 'He is a liar!' he exclaimed angrily.

'I will have your tongue!' Uther roared, equally angry. 'How dare you speak like a knight in that way?'

There wasn't going to be a better moment. It would only go downhill from here, she knew. She would have to act now.

'What is it that you are accusing him of, Gwaine?' she asked calmly. 'Since my presence here was requested, I take it there is magic involved?'

They hadn't exactly rehearsed this, but Gwaine was a clever man. She trusted him to know how to play.

And he did. He straightened his back and looked at her. 'It is, my lady,' he replied, loud and clear. 'Merlin and I discovered that these men plan to use enchanted swords to cheat in the tournament. The blades will look blunt to the eye, but are sharp enough to injure or even kill a man.'

For half a second she thought she saw panic in sir Oswald's eyes, but then the mask of arrogance slid back into place. 'Sire, you can't really expect us to listen to this lunatic's lies?'

Alina replied before Uther had even opened his mouth. It was time to take control of the situation. 'As it happens, I would expect you to listen to this,' she snapped. 'The use of magic is a very serious accusation, but, if proven true, one we can surely not let pass without further investigation.' She looked at Uther for back up.

'Alina, what is this all about?' he demanded. He seemed to sense that there was more to it than she let on and that made him suspicious. Oh, he trusted her not to turn against Camelot, but he had nowhere near as much faith in her knowledge as the rest of her friends.

'An accusation had been made about the use of magic in this castle,' Alina pointed out. 'That is my speciality and you charged me with protecting this kingdom from any evil magic I might find. If what Gwaine says is true, we are dealing here with very dark magic indeed.'

'These are knights!' Uther protested.

'Knights are not above cheating,' Alina retorted, starting to get angry again. 'And I had much rather investigate this matter and be wrong about it, than to find out after the tournament that I was right, when people have died and I have not done anything about it. If I am indeed proven wrong, they will have my full apologies, but if I am right, we could be saving lives here. Do I need to remind you that your own son is fighting in the mêlée? If they are using enchanted swords, he could get killed.'

Uther blinked a few times, obviously shocked, but at least these last words had struck home. 'You are right,' he whispered.

She suppressed the urge to say that she often was. Instead, she simply bowed her head and thanked him.

'What would you do?' Uther asked. He was still not happy with the situation, but at least he was giving her a chance.

'Sire, you can't be serious!' Oswald exclaimed. He had gone as pale as a sheet and he failed in keeping the panic off his face.

'Shut up,' Arthur advised him, almost friendly.

Uther seemed to have been struck dumb at hearing that. He had just realised that there may be a whole lot more than just a commoner attacking knights and there were more people involved than he had believed. One of them was his own son.

'What is going on here?' he bellowed as soon as he had found his voice again.

'I have to confess that I sent Merlin and Gwaine in there to investigate,' Alina replied smoothly, thus taking away the blame from the two men. She would probably get into trouble for this, but not as much as them. 'I sensed something that felt like magic when we first met these knights and I wanted to find out whether they posed a serious threat or not before I would alarm you. So I sent these two to search their rooms in the hope of finding the source of the magic. If that was against the law, I offer you my sincerest apologies. But I can promise you that Gwaine and Merlin only acted on my orders. The responsibility is mine and mine alone.'

Uther nodded. She could almost hear his brain working.

When he remained silent, she addressed Gwaine again. 'Gwaine, from what I hear, I take it you have found the source of the magic?'

'I have, my lady. There are two enchanted swords, hidden in the chest beside the cabinet in sir Oswald's room.'

'That is ridiculous!' Oswald exclaimed. 'You can't accuse a knight like that!'

Alina gave him her infamous run-and-hide look and he fell silent. 'I am the Court Sorceress, sir Oswald. It is my job to deal with all magical threats. If Gwaine is telling the truth, than at the moment you are a magical threat and it is within my rights to deal with that in any way I see fit.' She hadn't really thought about that before, but that power had indeed been granted to her. She could do this. Now, of course she had believed that she would never want or need to use that authority, but now seemed to be a good time to do it.

'You can't…,' he protested weakly. It wasn't a denial as much as his own personal hope.

'Like I said, I can,' Alina replied. 'Sir Leon, would you please go to the room and bring me the blades? I think Gwaine mentioned their exact location.'

'Of course, my lady.' He bowed, beckoned two other knights to accompany him and left the room.

Uther had retreated in his chair, watching in astonishment, but he didn't look like he was going to interfere, instead watching how this all played out. He wasn't really convinced yet, so it was time to provide him with some additional proof.

Something caught her eye and she started to slowly walk in Oswald's direction. The fraud backed away, but very soon found himself trapped against one of the pillars in the room.

'That's a very interesting necklace you have here,' Alina remarked in a voice as if she was discussing nothing more important than today's weather.

'It was a gift, from my father,' Oswald lied. Alina wondered if the lie was only so obvious to her or if more people had noticed.

She smiled sweetly. 'Would you mind if I took a look at it?'

'Well…,' he started.

She didn't give him the chance to finish. With one swift movement she had taken hold of the stone and pulled it forcefully from his neck. One moment it looked like nothing was going to happen, but then he changed, so rapidly that it was hard to see the real change happening. But the result was clear to everyone. In front of them stood a huge, very ugly man.

'Sorcery!' Uther exclaimed. 'Seize him!'

The bandit tried to make a run for it, as did his friend, but there were too many guards in the room and they did not get far. Alina marched over to the man impersonating sir Ethan and removed his necklace as well, revealing another ugly thug.

'Oh man, but you are ugly,' Gwaine commented. 'Finally the outside is reflecting the inside, eh?'

'Release him,' Alina ordered the guards that were still holding him. 'He has done nothing wrong. On the contrary, he has risked his life to help me expose these frauds.'

Uther stared at all of them in disbelief. 'You were right,' he said, looking her directly in the eye.

She managed a smile and then let herself say it. 'Yes, I usually am.'

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**That's it for today. So, Gwaine gets to stay. You all happy with that?**


	75. Chapter 75

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter. And thanks for the wonderful reviews I got for the last chapter. I loved them all.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 75**

**Alina**

It was quite predictable, but it was of course Arthur that won the mêlée the following day and thus won himself the right to accompany his fiancée to the banquet, which none of them had a problem with. Gwaine had been allowed to attend as well, as a reward for his services done to Camelot, although Gwaine would say that he had only been helping out a friend.

Arthur had muttered that, had he been in Gwaine's place, he would rather have been exiled, because Gwaine had been made, by Uther, to accompany Cathy to the feast, because they had similar backgrounds. Alina had almost let it slip that she had the same background as her little sister, but she had known that would not have been wise, so she let it pass.

Altogether, the evening had been pleasant, but she was really glad when it all was over and she could send her sister back home the day after. Naturally she cared enormously for her, but she could not deny that her presence in Camelot had been very taxing on all of them. She supposed that it was not the last time they would see Cathy in Camelot, though. Gwaine and her seemed to really like each other.

'Let's hope she doesn't like him too much,' she said as she was watching her go, accompanied and protected by the sirs Owen and Allan. 'I don't think my father could cope with two of his little girls living in the past.'

'It isn't really the past, though, is it?' Morgana asked. 'There is a direct connection between the two times.'

She sighed. 'Which is exactly one of the reasons that we shouldn't meddle with time. Ever.'

'You did,' the young witch pointed out.

'Rub it in,' Alina muttered.

Morgana laughed. 'Sorry. So, are we going to have some peace and quiet for a while now?'

Alina thought and then nodded. 'I think so, yes. Your birthday is not until two months, isn't it?'

She frowned. 'What's wrong with my birthday?'

'Probably nothing,' she admitted. 'According to legend that would be when the next big event takes place, but now that you're no longer in league with Morgause, I doubt that will even happen.' She thought about it a little longer. 'In fact, I think we might even have until the next tournament before another big event takes place.'

Morgana snorted. 'Trust it to be a tournament where everything goes wrong.'

Alina laughed. 'It's a Camelot tradition, I suppose.'

They sat themselves down on the stone stairs, watching out over the courtyard and simply enjoying the sun. Alina couldn't say how glad she was that they could finally look forward to a relatively long period of peace now. Well, peace was probably overrated, because her wedding was fast approaching and Uther wasn't going to let the wedding of his only son pass by quietly. There was going to be a massive ceremony with lots of guests, a huge feast, a ball, several (most likely boring) speeches, and a lot of entertainment. As far as she was concerned there was absolutely no need for that, but tradition and Uther dictated that it had to be done in that fashion.

'Maybe someone wants to spice up your wedding a little,' Morgana said. 'You would never know. It isn't part of legend, after all.'

'I just hope no one wants to ruin my special day,' Alina said. She had been thinking about this herself, but as there were no threats yet, she hoped it would just, for once, go as she had planned. It would be a nice change. 'And if someone feels like they must, well, I hope I can count on you for having my back.'

'Sure,' Morgana said. 'Is Uther still insisting on having that awful girl as your bridesmaid? Because in that case, you definitely need help.'

They both laughed. That awful girl was in fact a certain Lady Vivian, who had apparently not been coming with her father for the peace talks that were held in Alina's absence, so she had not been enchanted either. However, king Olaf was a good friend of Uther's and somehow they had ended up agreeing that Vivian would be a bridesmaid at the wedding, to Alina and Arthur's complete horror.

'No, not anymore,' she said. 'Uther felt like he owes me after revealing those two frauds, so I used it as leverage. I get to choose my own bridesmaids now.'

'Any ideas?'

'Yes, actually. I was thinking about Cathy, but more because she would throw a tantrum worthy of a three year old if I excluded her, Gwen, because she is such a sweet, loveable person, and you, as my best friend. That would make for a nice change from Lady Vivian.'

Morgana looked at her in surprised. 'Me?'

Alina nodded. 'I didn't speak Chinese, now, did I?'

'Why me?'

She shrugged. 'You're my friend. That's why. I'd like you there.'

'Even after my time with Morgause?' Morgana sounded like she didn't really believe it.

'You're not with Morgause anymore, remember?' Alina pointed out. 'And I believe in second chances. I have been given one. Who am I to deny it to another person?' She grinned mischievously. 'Besides, I need someone who can shut Cathy up if she gets too noisy.'

Morgana chuckled. 'How, pray? Slap her with the bouquet or put a silencing charm on her?'

'Whatever you like best,' Alina said. 'Or both if you feel like it.'

'So, we're friends again?' Morgana asked, sounding uncertain, but hopeful.

'Yes, well, if that's what you want as well. To be quite honest, I liked it a whole lot better when we were friends than when we were enemies.' The words came rolling out of her mouth seemingly without effort, but she was nervous really. Could it really be possible that she was getting her old friend back, just like that? It seemed too good to be true.

But Morgana's face split into a grin that reminded her very much of Merlin. It lit up her whole face. 'I'd like that,' she told Alina.

'Friends it is, then,' Alina said. 'And now my day is officially perfect.'

'I think it's going to be better, though,' Morgana remarked, pointing at a group of people entering the courtyard on horses.

Alina hadn't noticed them before, but when she did, she knew who they were immediately. There was no mistaking the red hair of her brother. 'Connor!' she exclaimed. She picked up her skirts and ran to meet him.

He caught her in a bearlike hug. 'Good to see you again, sister.'

'Connor, can't breathe,' she told him.

He let her go and held her at arm's length. 'You're looking well, Alina. Are you all right after your ordeal?'

She poked him teasingly. 'You make it sound so much worse than it actually was. I'm fine. I stayed with my parents.'

He frowned. 'Your parents…?'

'I opened a portal in time,' she explained, suddenly realising that Connor in fact did not know where she spent the last two years. For all he knew she could have been on the run all the time. 'So I could stay with my family in my own time. Oh, and I met your sister. She's well. I would like to say that she sends her love, but…'

'Don't finish that sentence,' he warned her. 'So, that portal still exists?'

Alina nodded. 'It does. In fact, my sister came over for a few days. You may have seen her. She's on the way back now.'

Connor thought about that for a moment. 'Young woman, looks a lot like you, and more talkative than is good for her?'

Alina laughed. 'I see you already met her, then.'

'Please tell me she's not coming to your wedding,' he begged in mock desperation.

'Well, about that…'

**Morgana**

A few days later Morgana knocked on her friend's door. They had agreed to continue with Morgana's magical training the day after Connor had arrived and Morgana was eager to get started. She smiled as she remembered those first sessions with Alina. They had been forced to practise in the caves below the castle, with almost no books at all. Still, Morgana had loved it. Apart from gaining control over her powers, she had enjoyed the time spent with her friend.

They had started with spells to light the place, which was simply necessary, because otherwise they couldn't see what they were doing, followed by small, magical tricks. By the time Alina had been forced to leave Morgana was quite capable of doing the spells that would allow her to do all Gwen's chores in almost no time at all. They hadn't seemed so useful at the time, but when she had come to live with Morgause, she was grateful that she had learned them.

Morgause's ways of teaching magic were far more strict and disciplined and had focused mainly on offensive magic, something Alina hadn't taught her, apart from the spell which Arthur now called the let's-swing-him-through-the-air spell. Her sister had been able to teach her quite a lot, but Morgana was sure there was much more that could be learnt.

And there was no need anymore for hiding away in dark corridors. Alina had her own rooms to keep her magic books and practise sorcery and that was where they were training now. Alina would simply lock the door and they could practise as much as they wanted. And Morgana was also invited to come whenever she wanted to read the books, which she had done four times since the invitation was given four days ago.

She knocked.

'Come in!' Alina called.

Morgana entered and closed the door, only to find her friend pacing about the room, a frown on her face.

'Is something wrong?' she asked, a little worried.

'I don't know,' Alina replied. She didn't even look up or stop her pacing.

Morgana knew from experience that there was always something on her mind then, a problem that needed solving, even though she didn't always know what it was. But, she was no longer the princess's enemy, so she thought that maybe she had earned the right to know what was going on.

'Then why are you pacing?'

'Sir Leon's patrol,' she said.

'What of it?' Morgana asked. Yes, that patrol should have been back three or four days ago, but there was no need to worry yet. There were all sort of things that could have delayed the knights. And it wouldn't be the first time. She couldn't remember Alina fretting about it before.

'It's late,' she replied curtly.

'Yes, but that's not unusual,' the young witch felt obliged to point out. 'And you have never worried about it before, so why now?'

Alina finally came to a stop in the middle of the room. 'I don't know. It could be nothing. It could also be legend's biggest trick.'

Morgana sighed, sitting herself down. If she had to drag every ounce of information out of her friend's mouth, she might as well make herself comfortable. 'Do you care to explain? Because I have no clue as to what you are talking about right now.'

'Sorry.' Alina took the chair opposite hers and poured them both a glass of water. 'I could just be worrying about nothing, mind.'

'You're always worrying,' Morgana commented. 'About everything. But you know, you're also right most of the times.' She had not really seen Alina in action much. Before her exile Morgana had only known about her magic, not about her other additional knowledge. But Merlin had been almost too eager to fill her in and she had seen a few things for herself, during the goblin affair and the most recent crisis that revealed the two fake knights. On both occasions Alina had known what would happen before it did, so if she was worried about something now, Morgana supposed she had a good reason for it.

'That's a bit too much praise!' she protested.

'I am just stating facts. If you want praise, you should go to Uther,' Morgana retorted. 'Now, out with it.'

'I think that the delay of the knights could be the leading up to another big event, for lack of a better word.' She shook her head and sighed. 'But the timing is all wrong. It isn't right. There should be a dozen other big events before this one…' Her voice trailed off.

Morgana could hear a _but_ in these words. 'But…,' she pressed.

'But, the point is, with you back on our side, those things are very unlikely to happen. Good heavens, even this one is most unlikely.' She got up and started pacing again, too restless to remain seated. Morgana almost got dizzy by just watching her.

She frowned. 'I would be responsible for so many big events?' She could hardly believe that would be possible. So many attempts, and all in vain?

She wondered about that briefly, while Alina continued pacing. It was no good talking to her now. Let her sort out her thoughts first and in the meantime she had given Morgana a lot to think about.

Alina probably didn't realise the significance of what she had just said, but Morgana did. Had she remained on Morgause's side, she would have been responsible for a lot of crises, plus the one Alina now feared might be happening, with the minor change that this new one, because she had already labelled it like that in her head, was happening anyway. It proved to her that Alina had spoken the truth when she had been trying to convince Morgana to come back to her side. Alina did not even realise what she had said; the words had just slipped out when she was too busy to think about it.

This also had Morgana thinking about herself. For the first time she dared to admit, even if only to herself, that she was glad that she had abandoned Morgause. And when she really thought about it, it was only logical. She had no longer a good reason to be on the same side as her sister, although she regretted that.

There had been a number of reasons why she had joined Morgause: she was alone and scared, frightened of Uther and believing that he must be replaced. Well, she was no longer alone, but yes, she was still afraid of Uther. How could she not be? He still hated magic. But then, she was close to him and she had now seen that Uther could sometimes be merciful, especially when that person was as close to him as Morgana was. At least now she could hope. She had never been able to do that before.

And yes, she still thought Uther was not a good king, but she didn't want him removed with immediate effect anymore. Maybe that was because she knew Arthur would be a good replacement, but not yet. The prince was already more mature than he had been three years ago, but he still had a long way to go. But she was content to wait now, because he had been prophesised to bring back magic to the land and she suspected that it would be in a less violent way than Cenred and Morgause had planned.

She sighed as she thought about her sister, the woman she had come to care for greatly, enough to abandon her to save her life. It had not been easy, but she had learned to deal with it pretty quickly. In getting over it, it had helped to know that Morgause had not trusted her enough to tell her everything she knew. That had hurt more than Morgana wanted to admit, even to herself. In her darkest moments it had felt like betrayal.

Besides, she wasn't sure anymore that she agreed with Morgause's methods. They were violent and in the end they only inspired more violence, fear and hate. They might lead to quick results, but in the long run they would come to nothing, because no one would support it. Alina and Merlin's method may seem maddening slow, but at least they were more or less certain of long-term success in the end.

After ten minutes Alina had calmed down enough to sit down again. She sipped her water.

'Are you all right?' Morgana asked. 'We can train later, if that's what you want.'

The princess shook her head. 'I'm fine. Just worried. We can train now.'

Morgana herself had pretended to be fine much more than the Court Sorceress, so she knew immediately that her friend was anything but fine. 'Get it off your chest, Alina,' she encouraged her. 'I swear it helps. What is it you are so afraid of?'

Alina hesitated for a moment or two and then decided to follow Morgana's advice. 'What do you know about the Cup of Life?'

Those words did ring a bell somewhere. She remembered vaguely reading something about it in a book while she was staying with Morgause. But at the time her mind had been too preoccupied with learning the actual spells and the Cup had been out of their reach anyway. She hadn't paid it much mind.

Now she made an effort to drag up the bits of information that she had remembered. 'It's a very powerful magical object,' she answered. 'It has the power to bring someone back from the brink of death.'

'Or even death itself,' Alina nodded. 'Although that kind of power will demand a life in return.'

'That's a good thing, right?' Morgana asked. She didn't understand it yet. Sure, if the location of the Cup became known there would be a full-scale hunt for it, but it couldn't do much harm, could it? And what was the link with sir Leon's patrol?

'In the hands of the right people, yes,' Alina said. 'In the hands of, let's say, Morgause, it would be not so good. You see, when you put a drop of your blood in that Cup, you become immortal and you will remain like that until the Cup is emptied. There is room for a lot of blood in that Cup and if Cenred and Morgause get it…' Her voice trailed off.

'An immortal army,' Morgana understood. She tried to grasp the meaning, but it was just too horrible. No normal army would be able to stand against it, because how can you defeat an army that cannot be killed? 'And Leon's patrol?' Was he the first one to run into such a force? If that was the case, she could understand Alina's worrying. Leon may be a battle-hardened warrior, but even he could not win that fight.

'If I am right, and I say if, then his patrol will be killed by Cenred's men and he himself will be gravely injured. He will then be found by Druids, who will save his life by giving him water from the Cup of Life. He will come back, tell Uther…'

'… And so the hunt begins,' Morgana finished. 'And we will fail to get our hands on it, won't we? That's why you're pacing and frowning.' As she said it she realised how true her words were. They were in big trouble if she was right about this.

Alina nodded. 'I fear so. I hoped this incident might simply not happen, but once it is started, I doubt legend or destiny or whatever you want to call it is going to let us get away with it so easily.'

'But it doesn't have to be that big event,' Morgana said. 'You said so yourself. It could be nothing.'

She managed half a smile. 'You're right, of course. It could be nothing and I could just be fretting about nothing. Come on, let's put it from our minds for now. Let's see how your spells are coming about, shall we?'

For half an hour that was what they did. They focused solely on the training and put everything else from their minds. And it paid off; Morgana was pleased to find that her skills were improving much faster than she had believed possible.

'You're doing very well, Morgana,' Alina complimented her when they had a quick break.

Morgana smiled, sipping her water, looking out over the courtyard. It did feel good to have better control over her gifts. It made her feel more in control of her life.

'Thank you,' she said. 'It's really good to…'

She stopped dead, blinking a few times, but no, her eyes were not deceiving her. A man on horseback had entered the courtyard, alone. He was wearing the red cloak of a knight of Camelot, but it was torn and stained. He looked like he had not slept for days and there was no sign of the patrol that should have been accompanying him. A shiver went down her spine. The man was sir Leon.

The clanging she heard made her realise she had unconsciously dropped her goblet. It also alerted Alina to what was going on. It didn't take her five seconds to rush to her side. 'Morgana, are you well?' she asked, worried.

By way of a reply she pointed at the man in the square. 'Sir Leon is back,' she said. 'And he is alone.'

Then she heard Alina utter some words that she had never heard before: 'Bloody hell!' the princess exclaimed.

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**I hope you liked that. I felt like there are a lot of things that now won't happen because of the changes I made, so I decided to keep one of the things that might, with some changes, still happen. Let me know what you think!**


	76. Chapter 76

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter already. I know that it's a day early, but as it is my birthday today, I'm in a good mood (and I was being begged to update soon, so…) and I decided to post early this time. Enjoy and let me know what you think!**

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**Chapter 76**

**Alina**

Alina didn't believe she had ever been so nervous before. Every time that she thought this, a new crisis came along and made her earlier worry look like absolutely nothing in comparison. Had they ever faced something of this magnitude before? She shook her head. No, nothing had even come close to it. The questing beast, the Witchfinder, Morgause's attempt to overthrow Camelot with a skeleton army, all those things had been bad, but in the end they were dealt with relatively easy. This would be nothing like it.

Morgana was edgy, too. She kept moving, never sitting still, with a pale face and her hands balled into fists. The tension was practically radiating from her and for a moment Alina wondered if it had been wise to involve her in this. But then she realised Morgana wouldn't thank her for holding out on her. She knew how Morgana felt about Morgause doing that. If she wanted to prove that she wasn't like that woman, she had to involve Morgana.

Arthur was looking at both of them, a frown on his face. 'What's the matter with the two of you?' he hissed under his breath. They were still waiting for Uther's arrival, so there was some time to talk.

'You mean apart from probably facing the worst crisis to date?' Morgana retorted.

His gaze settled on Alina. 'What is she talking about?' he demanded.

'Trouble,' Alina replied. 'Big trouble, starting with sir Leon's tale, or that's what I think at least. I still hope I'm wrong about this. We'll have to wait for Leon to either deny or confirm it.'

'Alina, you know it's not going to be denial,' Morgana said.

She grimaced. She knew that and she knew it well. In fact, she had known it from the moment Morgana had told her sir Leon was back, alone, and looking like he had been in a fight. But it just didn't fit. The timing was completely wrong to begin with. This should not have happened until much later on. Surely it couldn't be possible for legend to speed things up that much? Yes, she knew it had done that before, so logically speaking it wouldn't be the last time. But then, on previous occasions it had only been a few minutes, hours or a day at most. They were talking months, maybe even a year, here.

But even if this was the whole drama with the Cup of Life, Morgause would still need an ally in the court to alert her to what was going on. Now, of course there were more ways to learn of the Cup's location, so Morgana's betrayal, or anyone's betrayal for that matter, was not necessary to trigger this event. It was the mention of that particular bloody Cup that spelt trouble for all of them.

But Morgana would be necessary for Morgause if she wanted her plan to succeed. She would need someone with the right to sit on that throne. As it was, Cenred was her best choice, and he did have no right whatsoever, no matter what that man liked to think. Had Morgana still supported her, that would have been the obvious choice, but Morgause must know that she could no longer be relied upon. Good heavens, she didn't even know if Morgause was aware of Uther being the young witch's father. She somehow doubted that.

'But it doesn't make sense,' she muttered, more or less thinking out loud. 'None of it does. There are so many if's my head starts spinning. The timing is wrong, Morgause doesn't have someone spying for her, at least as far as we know, and she has no reason to do this.'

Arthur snorted. 'Oh, I think she has more enough reasons to do whatever you think she is planning on doing. She hates us, remember?'

'Yes, but she wouldn't want to go against Morgana's wishes,' Alina disagreed. 'To her, Morgana is with us now. Threatening Camelot would also endanger her. She cares too much for her to want that.'

Morgana shook her head, a little sad smile on her face. 'She doesn't work like that,' she said softly. 'Yes, she cared for me, but not as much as she cares for the cause. You don't know her at all, Alina. To her, everything and everyone is dispensable, except the cause: to bring down the Pendragons and return magic to the land under a king she has absolute control over.'

'In other words: Cenred,' Arthur concluded.

Alina shook her head. 'I don't understand,' she whispered, careful not to alarm anyone else in the room by speaking too loud. 'In legend there is nothing more important to her than you, Morgana. It is her one redeeming quality, the only thing that makes you able to relate to her. In legend even her precious cause comes in second place. Good grief, she called off the knights of Medhir to save you. If that isn't enough proof…'

'She has changed since then,' Morgana interrupted. 'She has been raised since infancy to believe that Uther is a tyrant and should be brought down. If anything, what happened to me during that attack has only made her want that more, strengthened her belief in the absolute need to put an end to the reign of the Pendragons.'

'Shit!' she cursed. 'That complicates things.' She hated this. Normally she would have thought it all over months before the big event really would take place. She would have gone over it again and again, remembering every detail, thinking up solutions. So when it all started to happen, she was prepared, she could take control of the situation and get them out more or less unscathed.

She did not have the time to do that now. The feeling that she was far behind didn't make dealing with this particular, complicated crisis any easier. She could already feel a massive headache coming on.

Arthur took her hand and squeezed it. 'We're going to be fine,' he assured her.

'That's my line,' she protested. 'And you don't know that.'

Morgana shrugged. 'But we do. Just look at how easily you dealt with those bandits last week. You just stood there and exposed them as if it took no effort at all.'

She shook her head. 'This is different. This is nothing like legend. Exposing those thugs is child's play compared to this. And I have no idea whatsoever what to expect, where to look, how to prevent this, nothing at all.' She snorted. 'It's ironical really. I chose to change legend and as a result of that, I'm completely blind now.'

Arthur put his arm around her shoulder in a comforting gesture. 'You didn't choose this. You tried to make it better. You are not to blame.'

'Agreed,' Morgana said. 'And if Merlin was here, I'm sure he'd say the same. Speaking of which, where is he?'

Arthur narrowed his eyes. Oh great, just what they needed. Alina knew Arthur was not a big fan of the two of them getting together and she could feel a lecture coming on.

_Don't you dare come between them_, she warned him.

_Alina, we can't trust her, not like we did before!_ he protested.

_Yes, we can_, she contradicted. _She has changed, Arthur. If only you could see that. Look, all I'm asking you is that you give her, give them a chance. I have a feeling this is somehow meant to be._

_Legend?_

She shook her head. _No, not legend, not the legend I know. But it's possible now. Maybe it is how legend was always meant to be. Wouldn't you want to give that a chance?_

He gave her something that was supposed to be her own run-and-hide look. _You're cheating_.

She shrugged. _If that is what it takes._ She started speaking out loud again, answering Morgana's question. 'He's over there, next to Gaius. Oh, and there's Uther.'

That was probably a good thing, because Arthur's face may not be murderous, but it was close. She couldn't understand why he was so opposed to them being together. Yes, Morgana had made some pretty horrible mistakes, but they were in the past. She had proven her worth more than once. Surely Arthur did not believe that she was still playing them?

'Sir Leon,' Uther greeted. 'Welcome back. Where's the rest of your patrol?'

'They are all dead, my lord,' the knight replied. 'Killed by Cenred's men. I am lucky to be here.'

Arthur looked at him. 'You could have been dead,' he said.

His next words shook Alina to the core: 'I _was_ dead, or as good as, until the Druids found me.'

_This is it_, she thought. _Good heavens, this is really it. This is happening and it's happening now!_

She only realised that she had directed her thoughts at her friends when they replied.

_You're absolutely sure? _Morgana asked in an urgent voice.

_What's going on?_ Merlin demanded, confused.

And then, last of them, Arthur: _What. Is. Happening?_

_I'll explain later,_ she promised, returning her attention to the conversation.

Uther was frowning. 'Druids?'

If anyone would have dropped a pin in that moment, it might have deafened them all. The silent tension that had come to hang in the air with that one word was unmistakable.

'Yes, my lord,' Leon replied eventually. 'I owe them my life.' That was a brave thing to say, because everyone knew what Uther's opinion on Druids was. Hearing someone as sir Leon singing their praises was not going to please him.

Indeed, Uther's eyes had narrowed in suspicion. 'How did they heal you? You were as good as dead, you said.'

'I don't know,' Leon admitted.

'Did they use magic?' Uther pressed.

'Well, I…,' Leon looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

_He's avoiding the question_, Morgana thought at her. _Almost as if he doesn't want Uther to know. As if he's protecting them._

Alina nodded. _I know_. She had noticed the same thing.

Unfortunately Uther had as well and it did nothing to improve his mood. 'Yes or no,' he demanded. 'It's a simple enough question.'

'I only know that I drank from some kind of cup…,' the knight answered. He looked like he was exhausted and should be in bed, not being interrogated by a king whose mood became worse and worse by the second.

Uther almost jumped up as if he had been pinched. 'Cup?' he echoed.

'It was extraordinary, my lord,' Leon said. 'I have known nothing like it. From the moment it touched my lips I could feel my life return to me.'

Alina was just standing there, frozen into place, very much like Uther. He just stood there for a few seconds, before dismissing everyone, but he clearly knew what it meant. And as everyone was leaving Alina found herself wondering why on earth that episode from season two had been called _The nightmare begins_ when the real nightmare had only just started.

**Arthur**

By the time Arthur reached Alina's chambers he was both frustrated and confused. He had no idea what was going on and he got the annoying feeling that his friends knew exactly what all this rambling about some Cup of Life was about.

He entered without knocking. If Merlin could do that, he saw no reason why he couldn't. The sight that met him was that of three people bending over a whole pile of books, discussing the contents in hushed voices.

Arthur couldn't help it, but he felt left out. 'Would someone please tell me what this is all about?' he said in an irritated voice.

'Ah, Arthur, good to see you're here,' Alina said. 'We've been doing some researching.'

'About this mysterious Cup?' Arthur assumed. 'My father has just sent me on a top secret mission to retrieve it.'

'If it's so top secret, then why are you telling us about it?' Merlin wondered.

'Shut up, Merlin,' Arthur said, not bothering with a reply to such a stupid question. Merlin should know better than anyone that he didn't always listen to his father, especially not when there was magic involved and he was sure that was at least part of the problem. Leon had mentioned life returning to him as soon as he had drunk from the Cup and he had not seen his father so jumpy about anything in months. He only did that when magic was involved.

'What is this Cup?' Arthur asked. 'I've never heard of it, but I seem to be the only one around here.'

To his surprise it was Morgana who provided the answer. These days she avoided talking to him, knowing that he didn't like it. But apparently that didn't mean anything anymore with a new crisis coming up. 'The Cup of Life is a powerful magical object, that can restore life to people that are dead or very close to death. Leon is an example of the latter, but in the first case the Old Religion will demand a life in return.'

Arthur frowned. Bring back life to someone who was very nearly dead? That sounded familiar, very familiar. The fact that both Alina and Merlin didn't meet his eyes confirmed his suspicion. 'You used it,' he whispered, half in amazement, half in shock. 'After I had been injured by the questing beast. I always knew it wasn't the medicine Gaius said it was. It tasted like water. You…'

'Went to the Isle of the Blessed and got the water from the Cup of Life,' Alina nodded. 'It was the only way.'

'Well, no one died for me, so…' He saw that they were still not looking at him. 'You mean…'

'Someone did die,' Alina replied. 'You weren't just an ordinary case, I'm afraid. The questing beast marked you for death, meaning that the Old Religion itself marked you. That's different from other, normal injuries. Merlin went to Nimueh and bargained his life for yours, but she tricked him and took his mother instead.'

'Good grief!' Morgana whispered, shocked. She then looked at Merlin in confusion. 'But your mother is still alive, isn't she? What happened?'

'Merlin, our brave, noble fool, intended to go back to set things right, but Gaius beat him there,' Alina told them. 'So, we went after him. When we got there, Nimueh had already taken him, but we managed to kill her and get Gaius back.'

'Oh Merlin, that must have been terrible for you!' Morgana exclaimed. Was he imagining things, or did he see tears in her eyes? He was at least sure of Merlin. The young man swallowed and his eyes were slightly red. Arthur guessed he was very grateful Alina did the talking, saving him from having to do it himself.

Alina sighed. 'Well, that is one of the reasons we shouldn't meddle with life and death,' she said matter-of-factly. 'But I'm afraid there's more to it.'

'Oh, that's just great!' Arthur commented sarcastically. 'Don't you think that's quite enough?'

'Unfortunately not.' His fiancée made a face that could make milk turn sour. 'It can also be used to create an immortal army.'

'Which is exactly what Morgause will do if she can get her hands on it,' Morgana finished. 'And I think your father knows it, too. That's why he's so hell-bent on getting it.'

Arthur tried not to be too surprised at Morgana supplying information about her own sister. It could all be an act to win back his trust. Well, no matter what she said now, Arthur needed to see that she was truly back on their side before he took Alina's word for it. Alina did not like that attitude one bit, but this was something he could not let go.

'So, we need to find it,' Merlin stated.

'No, _I_ am going to find it,' Arthur corrected.

Three people's faces looked at him disapprovingly. 'No way, Arthur,' Alina said. 'I know that's not going to end well. No, you'll need help. Gwaine would be a good choice and Merlin should come, too.'

'Ehm…,' Arthur started, not sure about what to think.

'You should have someone with magic with you as well,' Morgana added. 'That'll have to be Alina, since you don't trust me.'

'Hang on!' Arthur protested. What was going on here, some kind of conspiracy?

'Three to one, Arthur,' Alina said. 'Which means that the three get their way. It's called democracy.'

'Isn't that some stupid political idea your sister couldn't shut up about?' Arthur asked warily.

Alina laughed. 'Well, it does come in handy from time to time.' She became serious again. 'You're not going to look for that Cup on your own, Arthur. Besides, even if you find it, it's probably best if someone from their kind is there as well. The Druids do not have much reason to like Pendragons, I am afraid.'

'But they are a peaceful people,' Merlin pointed out. 'They won't harm him.'

'Correct,' Alina stated. 'But it would be nicer if someone was there who they can actually trust. No offence, Arthur. And the Druids are peaceful, yes, but I don't think the same can be said about Cenred and his merry men.'

Arthur watched at his servant and then at his fiancée. Both their faces had a very determined look on it. And he may be the prince of Camelot and his word had to be obeyed, but when it came to these two, that meant nothing. If he forbade them from coming with him, they would simply sneak out of the castle and meet up with him later, when it was too late to send them back. In that case they might even decide to bring Morgana with them and that was one very unwelcome addition to the party.

'Is there a way I can talk you out of this?' he demanded.

Merlin shrugged. 'No, I don't think so.'

He gave up. 'Fine, you can come. But if my father finds out, it's your problem.'

Alina smirked. She knew as well as Arthur did that Uther wouldn't object, even if she told him beforehand that she was going with Arthur. While this was a good thing most of the time, it was also a little annoying. She could persuade his father easier than he could.

Morgana looked thoughtful. 'Do you think it's really that simple?' she asked Alina, a frown on her face. 'You were practically panicking in the council chamber, and before, about this being the worst crisis to date. But if you can get to the Cup undetected, I don't see the problem really. If Morgause doesn't know where you are or what you are even after, she won't come after you and she won't get the Cup.'

Arthur agreed, although he was careful not to let it show. He too had noticed Alina's restlessness in the council chamber, but if everything went according to plan, there was no reason to panic at all. And it would most certainly not be the worst crisis to date.

'You're right,' Alina said. 'But I'm afraid it isn't that simple. The point is that I do not have proof for it, but something doesn't feel right.' She started pacing, something she did whenever she was worried about something and wanted to organise her thoughts, Arthur had noticed. 'The timing is wrong, to begin with. This shouldn't be happening for months. This has to be one of legend's tricks and mostly that does mean nothing but trouble for all of us. In legend Morgause has an ally in Camelot, who tells her about your search for the Cup. Legend states that it is Morgana who fills that role, but now that she is with us again, that's not a possibility anymore.'

'You think she has found herself a new ally,' Morgana understood. 'Well, that would make sense. She's won't rest until she has what she wants, so she would need someone on the inside.'

Alina nodded. 'That's what I've been thinking as well. The point is, if she indeed has found somebody, I have actually no idea who that might be, ironically enough, because I decided to change legend.'

That struck Arthur as strange. He realised he had come to rely on her knowledge enormously. He was used to her knowing everything that was going to happen, especially when she used it to make things better. It was strange to think that they didn't know what was about to happen, just because she had been making things better.

'But, if legend is playing tricks…,' Morgana mused.

'… It will be doing so thoroughly. Like Murphy said: everything that can go wrong, will go wrong,' Alina said.

Merlin frowned. 'I have no idea who that is, but by the sound of it, he must be living in Camelot.'

'I can stay and try to find out who may be helping Morgause,' Morgana said. 'I could keep you informed by using the mind link.'

_And then twist the results in your favour_, Arthur couldn't help but think. No matter what she had done in the past few weeks, he could not believe that she had truly abandoned Morgause at all and until he saw her take on Morgause himself, he would not believe so either. After all, it was only two months ago that she had been working with Morgause against them.

Alina nodded thoughtfully. 'I agree that would be best. You could look at unexpected visitors, new staff, ehm… strange behaviour from anyone in the castle. Maybe you could look at some of the new knights as well. Quite a few of them were knighted after the battle.'

Morgana nodded. 'I was planning on that anyway. If Morgause sent someone in, it would be after I deserted her. She didn't have someone else than me before that. Don't worry, whoever it is, I will find him. Or her.'

Arthur still didn't believe that, but the other two obviously did. They nodded and for form's sake Arthur pretended to agree with them, giving a curt nod in her direction. Only time would tell if he was right about this.

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**That's it for today. Next update should be on Sunday and then Morgana's search for the traitor will begin…**


	77. Chapter 77

**Hello everyone, here's the new chapter as promised. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 77**

**Morgana**

Morgana pretended not to see the look of utter distrust Arthur shot her just before he got on his horse. You'd think she'd be used to it by now, but it stung every single time. She used to look at Arthur as a brother. Even when she was with Morgause, even when she had been plotting to conquer Camelot and throw Uther in the darkest cell she could find, she had never been able to hate the prince. It was Uther she directed her hate at, because he was the one she held responsible for everything that had happened to her and her kind, not Arthur.

Alina had caught the look on Arthur's face and smiled reassuringly at Morgana. 'He'll come round,' she said.

Morgana snorted. 'How can you be so sure?'

'Oh, come on, we both know him,' the Court Sorceress said. 'He's stubborn. I think that he knows in his heart that you have changed, but he just hates to be proven wrong. He won't admit that until there is so many evidence that he'll either have to admit it or look like a complete idiot otherwise. Well, and we know Arthur. He hates to be looking like a fool.'

Morgana managed a smile. 'Then why exactly does he look like one all the time?'

Her friend laughed. 'Look, there's the Morgana we all know and love. Seriously, don't let him get to you. We know whose side you're on and one day Arthur will see that, too.'

Morgana smiled, but she didn't really mean it. She wasn't content with Arthur knowing one day, she wanted him to know now. But that would require some hard proof, she knew. It made her only more determined to find the possible traitor. Alina had repeated over and over again that she didn't really know if there even was such a person, but Morgana had the advantage of knowing Morgause. She would not give up on her plan to bring down Camelot just because Morgana no longer supported her. The cause was too important to her. She would keep on going, but to overthrow Uther she would need someone on the inside. Camelot could not be conquered by force alone. One would need cunning to achieve such a thing, as she knew only too well.

'I'll find the traitor,' she promised.

'I know you will,' her friend nodded. 'Not because of something legend says, but because I have faith in you.' She glanced over her shoulder, to where Merlin was standing, looking at them. 'And so does Merlin.'

Morgana couldn't help but blush, something she tended to do whenever Merlin was mentioned. She had no idea what caused it, but it was starting to get pretty embarrassing.

It hadn't escaped Alina's notice either. The sorceress grinned. 'Really, Morgana, it is about time that the two of you would get together. Your behaviour, both your behaviour, is starting to get beyond ridiculous.' She embraced Morgana. 'Good luck.' She was gone before Morgana had the chance to reply.

She stared after them, her mind one big mess of confusion, trying to understand what the Court Sorceress had just said. What on earth could she have meant?

The little group left the courtyard. Arthur and Alina took the lead, with Gwaine and Merlin bringing up the rear. Just before they disappeared out of sight, Merlin half turned in the saddle, raised his hand and waved at her, a shy smile on his lips.

It hit her with the force of a lightning bolt. Love. That was what Alina had meant. She thought that she was in love with Merlin and, Morgana's heart almost skipped a beat, that Merlin was in love with her.

For a few moments there were too many thoughts going around in her head to make sense of them, but when the first storm had died down, she could see why Alina had said what she said. Because her assumption would explain a few things. For example, it would explain why Merlin had been so hesitant to harm her, even when they had been on different sides. It would also explain why he had been prepared to welcome her back, even after she had left him to the serkets and her attempt to kill him in the crypts.

She bit her lip, because it would also explain some of her own actions. If she really was in love with Merlin, of which she wasn't sure yet, then it made sense that she would blush whenever he was near or whenever someone only mentioned him. Then it also made sense that she had forgiven him so quickly, even after he had poisoned her.

_Good grief, what a mess_, she thought, sitting herself down on the stairs. But she didn't really doubt Alina's words. It merely gave a name to something she had been suspecting, although not knowingly, herself.

So, what was she supposed to do now? Apart from more than a dozen personal problems that she could think of, there was also that enormous gap in social status that needed to be bridged if she decided that this was what she really wanted and she wasn't certain of that at all.

_You should go and find that traitor_, a little voice in the back of her head said. Morgana smiled. The voice was right. There were more pressing matters at hand. The traitor needed to be found, or else Merlin would be in grave danger and then all this thinking about him would be utterly pointless.

That decided it for her. She got to her feet and walked back into the castle. She had spent a sleepless night trying to think up a plan of action and it would involve a lot of work. The sooner she got started, the sooner they could take action.

She spent the better part of the day finding out as much as she could about the visitors in the castle. Since most of them were nobles, Morgana knew most of them and none of them seemed likely to be in league with Morgause. These people had sworn loyalty to Uther and since his reign had been good for them, she couldn't think of one reason why they would rebel against him. She checked them out nonetheless. After all, the traitor would probably pretend to like the king, just as she had done.

After dinner she decided that it had all been a waste of time. None of the guests seemed to fit the profile of an accomplice of Morgause. She could use her time better by focusing on the serving staff in the castle. Servants could go almost anywhere in the castle without even being noticed, because people would simply assume that they were doing their job. But in the meantime they could very easily spy on everyone.

So she would see the head of staff first to talk with him about any new servants in the castle. She knew the man was quite fond of making lists. If there were new servants, he would have at least their names and probably something about where they were coming from as well. Hopefully that would give her some kind of clue.

She was walking through the corridors, hardly paying attention to where she was walking, thinking her plan over again. She only came back to reality when she bumped into someone and fell on the ground.

'Watch where you're walking!' she snapped, before realising who she was talking to.

The other person, the one that had been literally running into her, was small, a child still. No, not a child, Morgana decided when she got a closer look. The boy was in his early teens, she guessed. He had dark hair, a slender figure and clear blue eyes.

Morgana gasped. She knew that face. She could swear that she had seen it before, but her brain refused to put a name to it straight away.

The boy's eyes betrayed that he had recognized her as well, but it was only a moment. Then he stood up, muttered 'Sorry, my lady' and ran away as fast as he could. Morgana remained on the ground, staring after him.

'My lady, are you all right?' one of the passing servants asked.

'Yes, yes,' Morgana replied quickly, realising that she was still on the ground. She stood up, still looking in the direction where the boy had disappeared out of sight. Who was he?

Because she had met him before, of that she was certain. And it had been before she had met Morgause. If she had met him during the time spent with her sister, she would have remembered it.

'My lady?' The servant sounded a bit worried.

'I'm fine,' she assured him, forcing her face into a smile. 'Who is that boy? He just came running down the corridor. Probably twelve or thirteen years old, dark hair, bit skinny,' she added when the man gave her a blank face.

Understanding dawned on his face. 'Oh, do you mean Will, my lady?'

The name didn't ring any bells, but then, it was a rather common name. Lots of boys were called Will, so that didn't really help her. _Especially if that is not his real name_, the little voice in the back of her head supplied.

'I think so,' she said. 'I haven't seen him before.'

'That's correct, my lady,' the servant said. If he wondered why she was so interested in a mere serving boy, he didn't say so. 'He came to the castle only about a month ago. His parents were killed during Cenred's invasion. Poor boy, he was almost starved when he showed up at the castle kitchen, begging for food and work. The cook has taken him under her wing and just look at him now!' The tone in his voice betrayed how endeared he was to the child.

'Yes, just look at him now,' Morgana echoed absent-mindedly. A cold shiver went down her spine. It all fit. She could have sworn that Will was not the name the boy had had when she had known him and he had arrived in Camelot after she had abandoned Morgause. But still, he was only a child. Could a child be capable of betrayal, of working for Morgause? It seemed a bit of a long shot.

No, she must have been imagining things. Maybe he just looked like someone she knew. She must be getting paranoid if she was already suspecting teenage boys of treason. Unless…

Another shiver went down her spine as she suddenly remembered where and when she had last seen this boy. Good heavens, they were in big trouble.

_Merlin, Alina?_ Morgana thought at them. _I think we have a big problem here…_

**Merlin**

Merlin had never really liked horse-riding. He was quite good at it, so that was not the problem. It was just that sitting on a horse all day was bound to get boring at one point, even when you happened to have Gwaine with you. His countless stories about all the taverns he had ever visited were only amusing for so much time. Even Alina seemed to be fed up with it when darkness started to fall.

'Gwaine, is there any chance of hearing a story that is not in any way related to taverns, fights and lots of alcohol?' she asked in an irritated voice.

That shut him up nicely and Merlin bit back a smile. Why was he not surprised that all the stories Gwaine knew involved at least one of those three?

'Let's make camp,' Arthur said. It wasn't as much a suggestion as an order.

Alina glanced around the clearing where they had stopped. 'Are you sure, Arthur?' she asked. 'It's…' She thought about it for a moment. 'It's too open. And we're only an hour away from the border with Cenred's kingdom. I think we should find a more secluded place, farther away from the road.'

There was definitely logic in that. Merlin found himself agreeing before he had thought it over. 'I think she's right,' he stated.

'No one asked your opinion, Merlin!' the prince snapped.

'No, I'm just giving it, free of charge,' Merlin retorted.

Alina tried to mask her chuckling as coughing, but it fooled no one. Gwaine didn't even try. He just laughed out loud, gaining him a death glare from Arthur. 'Merlin?' he said in a threatening voice.

'Yes, Arthur?' he asked innocently, even though he knew what was coming.

Arthur didn't disappoint. 'Shut up!'

'Yes, Arthur.'

Alina smiled, clearly amused by the banter, but then became serious again. 'I mean it, Arthur. We should get away from the road. This area isn't particularly safe.'

Arthur made a wide gesture with his hands. 'There's no one here,' he pointed out.

'Yet,' Alina finished. She sighed, realising she wasn't likely to win this argument. 'At least let's keep someone stand guard at all times. Please, for me?' She looked at him with begging eyes, a look they all knew Arthur was unable to resist.

'Fine,' he snapped. 'I'll take first watch.'

'I'll do the second,' Gwaine offered.

'And I'll take the last,' Merlin said.

Alina frowned. 'What's this? A conspiracy to let the delicate female have an undisturbed beauty sleep? For your notice, I can actually handle the lack of sleep.'

Merlin was surprised she caught on so quickly. There really wasn't much that escaped her notice. He felt himself blushing in embarrassment and a quick glance at the other two learned that they were avoiding her eyes as well.

That was confirmation enough for her. 'Men!' she snorted indignantly. She jumped off her horse. 'I'm going to collect firewood and no, I won't collapse under the weight of a few twigs, thank you very much.' She stalked off into the woods.

Merlin knew that they had offended her by suggesting there were things she wouldn't be able to handle simply because she happened to be a woman. And he had to admit that it had been stupid, too. Alina could fight as well as any man, and a whole lot better than some he might mention, and had spent many a sleepless night to keep an eye on people she suspected of plotting against Camelot. And she had her magic, too. If anything, Alina was nothing like the majority of women roaming this earth.

Gwaine got off his horse as well. 'I suppose I better go and lend her a hand,' he said.

'Good luck,' Arthur muttered.

The knight disappeared into the woods.

'Him rather than me,' the prince commented once Gwaine was out of earshot. 'I actually like my head attached to my body.'

Merlin chuckled. He lifted his bag off the horse and started to make camp. He quickly summoned some small twigs and built a fire, using his magic to get it going. It was the easiest way and, as Arthur had pointed out, there was no one here to see it.

The prince himself appeared to be thinking very hard about something. There was a deep frown etched in his forehead and although he was staring at the luggage he was holding, Merlin doubted if he really saw it.

'Something on your mind, Arthur?' he asked.

'Morgana,' the prince replied.

Merlin thought he knew where this was going, but he decided to play stupid. So he held his gaze fixed on the small fire and pretended not to be really interested. 'What about her?'

'Isn't that a question I should be asking you?' Arthur wondered.

Now he no longer needed to play stupid; he had honestly no idea what Arthur was talking about. 'I don't know,' he said. 'You're the one that was mentioning her.'

'So, you're denying that you're in love with her, then?'

Of all the answers Arthur might have given, this was the one Merlin expected least of all. For a moment it was chaos in his head and then one thought stood out clearly: Alina must have told him. He couldn't really say why this particular thought had come to the forefront of his mind, but it did. It made him feel like he was being caught doing something criminal.

_Don't be ridiculous_, he told himself immediately, in a manner that Arthur often used. He had done nothing wrong. And really, he didn't even know if he was in love with Morgana.

'What?'

'So, you're not denying it,' Arthur concluded. He sounded triumphant and disappointed at the same time.

Merlin couldn't help but feeling cornered. There was no way he could give an answer that would not get him further into trouble. The fact that he had no idea what he felt, let alone that he could put a name to it, didn't help either. So he ended up looking at Arthur, confused.

'Whenever you're ready to answer, Merlin,' the prince said impatiently.

'I don't know,' Merlin replied, which was absolutely true.

Arthur snorted. 'I don't believe that for a second. I've seen the way you look at her, how protective you are of her, how quickly you've forgiven her for her betrayal.' He listed the points on his fingers.

Oh dear, Alina wasn't the only one to have noticed, so must that mean that there was some truth in their words? He had been in love with Freya, he knew that much. What he felt for Morgana was not the same, so that was probably why he had never thought of labelling his feelings for Morgana, whatever they might be, as love. But there were definitely similarities and Arthur had just summed them up perfectly. Could it be…?

'I don't know,' he repeated, still meaning every single word of that sentence.

Arthur looked at him with that special look that he reserved for when he didn't believe Merlin. 'Are you sure?'

He remembered Alina saying that the offense was the best defence. 'Since when are you such an authority on feelings anyway?' he demanded, a little harsher than he had meant due to the fact that he felt very trapped by now. 'I don't ask you to talk about your feelings for Alina either, do I?'

By the looks of it, he had only succeeded in confirming all of Arthur's suspicions. 'That's disgusting, Merlin,' he commented.

That triggered his anger. 'She's a good person!' he immediately defended her. 'She made a few mistakes, but she's sorry for them. She's on our side, Arthur.'

He threw his hands in the air in desperation. 'That just proves it!' he exclaimed. 'What on earth has gotten into your head, Merlin? Has she put you under some kind of enchantment?'

'Of course not!' Merlin shouted. 'She's better than that! I don't even know if she like me.' _Too._ He never spoke the word, but they both heard it.

'God have mercy,' Arthur whispered.

'Well, I. Don't. Know,' Merlin heard himself repeating, while at the same time he could feel his cheeks burn bright red. 'Alina keeps going on about it, too. Something about Mergana.'

Here Arthur frowned. 'What?'

'It's something from her time, their way to talk about Morgana and me. It's our names combined.'

'So, it has something to do with legend,' the prince muttered under his breath. 'I knew it.' He studied Merlin closely. 'Well, at least that means that you can't really help it. Oh, stop looking so terrified, Merlin! I'm not holding it against you, although I'll admit that I always thought you had better taste than that.'

Merlin could name a dozen reasons why there was nothing wrong with both his taste and Morgana, but they were interrupted by Gwaine and Alina, who returned to the campsite with enough wood to get them through the night if they were careful. Alina still looked slightly displeased and Gwaine looked like he had been on the receiving end of the lecture that she had no doubt given him.

'How's dinner coming along?' Gwaine asked. 'Don't know about you, but I'm starving.'

'Aren't you always?' Alina muttered.

They were all saved from his answer by Morgana's mental voice that called their attention. She only addressed Alina and Merlin himself, but he knew they could all hear her.

_Morgana, how are you?_ Alina asked.

_Oh, I'm fine,_ the young witch replied. _But I think we have a big problem here. I have been checking the guests, but there's nothing to suggest that any of them is involved with Morgause._

_Well, we expected that much_, Alina commented. _What's the problem, Morgana?_

Morgana's mental voice became much more serious, much more worried as she continued. _I bumped into a young boy, teenager, just now. He looked slightly familiar, so I asked a servant about him. He goes by the name of Will and is apparently the cook's new protégé. _

Arthur interrupted her with a very annoyed sigh. _All very interesting_, he said in a voice that suggested exactly the opposite. _But the daily life of the servants in the castle isn't really relevant to the safety of the kingdom, Morgana._

Had Morgana been with them in person, she would have glared at Arthur. Now she simply snapped. _If you just listen before you and your big mouth interrupt my report again, you might have known by now that the suspicious thing about this boy is that he arrived in Camelot only a month ago, after I had abandoned Morgause. He claimed to be orphaned during Cenred's invasion, but that's a lie. I recognized him and if I am not mistaken, he recognized me as well. I couldn't remember immediately where I had seen him before, but I have been thinking it over, and I do believe that he is Mordred._

Merlin's face became as white as a sheet. Mordred, Arthur's doom. He remembered Kilgharrah's words all too well. Hearing Morgana tell them that Mordred had somehow ended up being involved with Morgause wasn't as big a surprise as it should have been. After all, it was in the line of expectation.

He could see that Alina had something close to a panic attack. Her face was all but drained of blood and he suspected she could faint any moment now. By the looks of it she knew perfectly well what Mordred's presence in Camelot meant. He could also tell that she had not been expecting it, at all.

Arthur, however, remained sceptical. _That's ridiculous_, he stated. _He's staying with the Druids. If Alina is to be believed they are a peaceful people. I seriously doubt them handing the child over to Morgause to spy for her._

_If only he was staying with the Druids! _Morgana exclaimed. _But last I heard he was in the company of a very… well, shall we say determined group of magical freedom fighters. I wouldn't be surprised if Morgause got in contact with them and Mordred's magic is very powerful._

_Add to that the fact that he has strong reasons to hate Camelot and everything it stands for and all of this suddenly makes perfect sense_, Alina finished. _It does, however, complicate things a little._

_In what way?_ Merlin meant to ask, but he was distracted. By a piece of wood that was knocked against the side of his head with considerable force. He blinked a few times, trying to figure out why his vision was so blurred all of a sudden, but before he could work it out, the environment disappeared entirely and he was swallowed up in unconsciousness.

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**Please don't hate me for leaving you on such a cliff-hanger! The next chapter should be up Thursday. In the meantime, let me know what you think, please. Reviews make me really happy.**


	78. Chapter 78

**Hello dear readers. Here's the new chapter. I hope you like it. I'm not really sure about the part in Alina's POV, so please tell me what you think about it.**

**Anyway, as always, enjoy!**

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**Chapter 78**

**Morgana**

Morgana could almost feel the club being knocked against Merlin's head. The force of it sent her staggering back and out of his head. She tripped over her own dress and landed hard on her backside.

'Ow!' she exclaimed, but she couldn't really care now. All her attention was focused on a mental conversation that was no longer happening now, her mind tuned to one that didn't connect with hers anymore.

For a moment all she could feel was panic. The _what if's_ were going round and round in her head, effectively preventing her from doing any logical thinking. The fact that she had practically been in Merlin's head when he was hit didn't do anything to help either. Her own head started throbbing, even though that hadn't been caught in any blow.

_Merlin?_ she called out, hoping and praying that he would hear her.

There was nothing but silence at the other end of the mind link. No answer, no indication that he had even heard her. Her panic fed on that realisation. She could feel her breathing speed up until she was very nearly hyperventilating.

It was only when she started to get dizzy from the lack of oxygen that she realised that she had to calm down before she passed out. _Get a grip!_ she reproached herself firmly, copying one of Alina's favourite phrases. _Calm down, Morgana. Relax and try again._

So she forced herself to take deep breaths and calm her racing heart until it was more or less back to normal. Then she tried to do a trick she had learned from Alina lately, a trick that would allow her into Merlin's mind. That was different from talking with their thoughts. Alina described the talking as politely knocking on the front door and waiting until the other person responded. Entering one's mind was going through that door unasked and of course it was a little more difficult. But Morgana had become rather good at it.

She took another deep breath and connected her mind with Merlin's, only to be met with nothing. There was nothing there. Where his mind had been only minutes ago, there was just plain darkness now. _Merlin!_ she screamed, but there was no reply. Morgana even doubted if there was someone there to hear her.

She started shivering over her entire body as she started to realise what this could so easily mean. Merlin could be dead, taken away from her before she even had the chance to explore the possibilities of a relationship with him. Tears started to run down her face without her giving them permission to do so.

_Don't give up_, the voice in the back of her head told her. _Try to contact the other three. Do it. Not all is lost._

She didn't know who that voice belonged to or if it was her own imagination, but she was grateful that it was there. It forced her into taking action. She tried Gwaine's mind first. He was a good warrior and if they were being attacked, he stood a better chance than Merlin at defending himself. But when she tried to reach him, she encountered the same darkness that she had found when she had tried Merlin. The same was true for Arthur.

But when she made her last try to contact Alina it was like running into a wall. This surprised her, but at the same time it was strangely reassuring. Morgana knew that the princess had been practising to protect her mind from invasion, but she didn't know she had been so far advanced in actually doing it.

But the absence of the darkness that she had encountered with the other three members of the company was enough to reassure her that at least Alina was still alive and probably still fighting. Morgana may be unable to enter her mind, but at least that mind was still there.

'My lady?' A voice demanded her attention and snapped her out of her thoughts.

She suddenly realised that she was still sitting on the spot where she had fallen down, with her back against her wardrobe. She also realised that her face probably betrayed that she had been crying. Uh-oh.

Gwen knelt down next to her. 'My lady, are you all right?' she asked in a worried voice. 'Morgana, have you been crying?'

She forced her face into a smile. 'I'm fine,' she lied.

The young woman didn't buy it. She looked reproachfully at her. 'What happened, Morgana?' she asked softly. 'You can tell me.'

'I know.' And she did. She could probably tell Gwen about her magic and the young woman would still defend her till her dying breath. Maybe it was time to take a chance and tell her exactly what was bothering her.

Gwen helped her up and led her over to a chair, gently pushing her into it. 'Then tell me.'

Suddenly she felt herself at a loss for words. Where would she begin? 'I… I…'

Her maidservant simply waited, seating herself in the chair opposite Morgana's. For a moment it was like one of the times she had had a nightmare. Gwen would come in, calm her down and then listen to her as she talked about the horrors she had seen in her dreams, simply being there for her. Not for the first time the young witch wondered what she possibly could have done right to deserve such an amazing friend.

'I have magic,' she blurted out before she could change her mind.

If she expected Gwen to be shocked, she was being disappointed. She just sat there and nodded thoughtfully. 'I thought as much.'

'You knew?' Morgana asked in a disbelieving voice.

'Your dreams, Morgana, they were never normal, were they? You can see the future. It would be only logical, I suppose, if you had other powers as well.'

It was as if a huge weight was being lifted from her shoulders. She wasn't alone in this. If Gwen had known for so long, she could safely assume that she wouldn't run to Uther now. Even with her friends gone, she was not entirely on her own.

'Thank the heavens,' she whispered.

'You didn't think I would report you to Uther, did you, Morgana?' Gwen asked.

Morgana coloured deep red in shame as she realised that was exactly what she had done. 'I'm sorry, Gwen,' she said, meaning every word. 'I should have had more faith in you.'

Gwen smiled her it-really-doesn't-matter smile. 'Was that why you were upset?' she wondered.

Morgana bit her lip, all her fear for Merlin returning in tenfold. She could see her hands starting to tremble again and suddenly she felt cold. What if…? 'It's Merlin,' she confessed. 'I can't feel him anymore. We were talking, with our minds,' she added when Gwen gave her a blank face. 'We were talking and then he was hit on the head with something.' She swallowed, remembering the moment. 'I was, well, literally knocked out of his head. And I can't get in there anymore. It's like he has just ceased to exist. I can't find him anymore!' She broke down sobbing.

'Oh, Morgana, I am sorry.' Gwen stood up and caught her in a comforting hug. 'Hush, it's going to fine. Merlin's tough. They all are. They are going to be fine.'

Morgana appreciated her efforts, but she wasn't convinced. She knew what she had experienced and lying to herself was not going to help them in any way. She had to face the very huge possibility that they were all dead, with the possible exception of Alina.

Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her and strangely enough that was exactly what re-awakened that voice in the back of her head, that sounded a lot like a very annoyed Alina, now that she was thinking about it. _Stop sitting there crying like a child, Morgana. That's not going to solve one single thing. You still got a traitor on the loose, or had you forgotten? Well then, why on earth are you not doing something about that?_

She let go of Gwen and forced herself to smile again to prove that she was all right. 'I found the traitor,' she announced.

Gwen looked confused. 'What traitor?'

Oh, of course, Gwen hadn't been present when Alina had explained that bit of legend to the rest of them, so she quickly summarised what the Court Sorceress had told her. She also mentioned the fact that both Merlin and Alina had been having some sort of panic attack when she had told them about the child's presence in Camelot, including Merlin's indistinct thought about Mordred being Arthur's doom.

'Are you sure it is him, Morgana?' Gwen asked.

Morgana nodded. She had gone over it in her head again and again, and it all fit. She hadn't seen Mordred in a few years, so it was only natural that he had changed. Of course he had; he was growing as any other child, but he had not changed so much that she was unable to recognize him. And for Mordred to team up with Morgause, yes, that made perfect sense, too. And of course Mordred was only a child, but he had always been very mature for his age, even when she had first met him. That was most likely the result of everything he had been through in his short life, but it made it all the more probable that he was indeed helping Morgause to threaten Camelot.

'Yes, I am sure,' she replied, not a hint of a doubt in her voice.

'Then what do you want to do?' Gwen questioned. 'He is only a child, Morgana. Surely you don't want to hand him over to Uther?'

No, that she most certainly wouldn't do, not to any human being. She had seen too many suffer at his hands. She would not help him to end another life, and most certainly not a child's. 'We'll deal with him ourselves,' she decided.

**Alina**

Alina had maybe half a second to see what was going on before her battle reflexes kicked in. She ducked and just in time. Half a second later she could hear the sound of a wooden club being swung only inches over her head.

_What on earth…?_ she thought. But it was no good thinking about what was happening to her now. If she got out of this alive, then there would be plenty of time to wonder about that later. Now was definitely not the time to do that. Now she needed to act.

So, she rolled away as quickly as she could from the spot where she had been sitting, before jumping to her feet and trying to take in the situation. Merlin had this particular gift to slow time somewhat by pure willpower. She had never been particularly good at this kind of magic, but, as usual, she found that she could achieve a whole lot more when she was angry or scared, and even more when she was angry _and_ scared. At the moment, she was both.

Time seemed to slow down around her, moving at a pace of her choice. She saw Arthur, Merlin and Gwaine all lying on the ground, all three of them unconscious. Gwaine had been able to grasp his sword before he was hit, but he hadn't been fast enough to dodge the blow that had knocked him out. At least he had seen it coming. Arthur and Merlin probably never even knew what hit them.

The next thing she noticed was the presence of at least a dozen very dangerous looking men. Neither of them were wearing some kind of uniform, so she supposed they were either slave traders or just common bandits. If she recalled legend well enough, this would be the first option. All of them were heavily armed. She was only too aware of the fact that her sword happened to be lying at the other side of the fire, far outside her reach. She never had been any good at math, but she knew enough to know that she was seriously outnumbered and her lack of a weapon didn't do anything to improve her chances in a fight either.

_Get a grip_, Alina, she told herself. _Are you a sorceress or not! Then act like one!_

She lost her control over time as she calmed down. Apparently she couldn't really do this when she was not overwhelmed with emotion. But it didn't matter anymore. She had her determination and she had her magic and that should be enough.

'Stop there!' she bellowed, using Arthur's best I'm-in-charge-here-and-you-had-better-do-exactly-as-I-say-or… tone. She was slightly pleased that she could pull it off, which was only because she pushed every thought of her companions from her mind until she had dealt with this threat. But she had better do it quickly. Gwaine and Arthur didn't look too well and Merlin's head looked like a bloody mess from where she stood.

At least her command took them all by surprise. They wouldn't have noticed what she had done to the time, which meant that they only saw a woman who, despite of having made a quick escape, had no means of defending herself. To them it must look like colossal bluff.

A few of them started laughing. 'Or what?' their leader inquired mockingly.

'Or I'll have to kill all of you without hesitation,' she replied in a serious voice, meaning every word of that speech. 'So you had better leave while you still have the chance.'

This only caused more laughter. 'You're not even armed!'

She only looked the speaker straight in the eye. 'I don't have to be,' she told him icily. She threw her hand forward and the man was flung back against a tree. In the silence that fell over the clearing they could all hear his neck break like a dry twig.

Alina forced herself to keep the expression on her face as neutral as possible, but inside she felt like vomiting. Yes, of course she had killed before. Heaven knew how many lives she had ended in the battle, but that was different. She had never before killed in cold blood. Because that was what it was. At that very moment this man had not been attacking her. Had he run at her with a sword in his hand, then the situation would have been entirely different. This, this was just her killing him without even blinking, making an example of him, hoping that the others would just back off.

But at least it had the desired effect. They staggered back, looking at her with wide eyes. 'You have magic!' They made it sound like it was a crime.

'My name is Alina,' she said loud and clear. 'I am Camelot's Court Sorceress and I am ordering you to leave this place right now.' Her voice didn't even sound like her own anymore. Whoever this cold-hearted woman was, Alina wasn't sure it was her. There was no emotion in her voice, no compassion, no regret for the life she had taken. She knew those emotions were still there, but they were firmly locked away.

One or two of them didn't need to hear that twice. They ran for the woods like dogs with the tails between their legs for fear she might curse them into oblivion as well. The others, still the majority, were in doubt. They glanced at their leader in a wordless plea for guidance, directions and, if possible, permission to get the hell out of this place.

But he was not so easily convinced. He looked at her, and although frightened, he was still determined. She allowed herself to reach for his mind and caught a few thoughts before quickly pulling out again. It would seem that by revealing her identity, she had just ascertained that he would never give up. This man was indeed a slave trader, and unfortunately for all of them, an intelligent one at that. He had quickly put two and two together and concluded that if she was the Court Sorceress, one of these men with her must be prince Arthur and he would fetch him a good price, no matter who he sold him to. It was the catch of a lifetime and he would not back off because of one fragile looking female who happened to possess some magic.

_Shit!_ she thought.

'Get her!' the leader ordered at the same moment.

He left her no choice. She hated doing it, but she had to now. She held out her hand again and the group that was coming at her from the left was thrown backwards. She only looked at them long enough to make sure that they would not come for her again and then turned to face the other attackers.

'There's still time to leave,' she told them.

Some of them stopped, hesitating. They eyed her warily.

_Come on, go!_ she thought. _I don't want to kill you, you fools. Just back off and leave us alone!_

She held out her hand again, but didn't cast the magic yet. 'I don't want to do this, but if you don't leave now, I won't hesitate,' she warned them.

'Make that witch shut up!' the leader ordered.

_Take him_, a voice in the back of her head urged. _Take him out and the rest of them will run._

She moved her hand to the right a little, pointing it straight at him. 'You're making a mistake,' she told him. 'Order your men to leave and I'll let you live.' _Come on, you idiot, get the hell out of here!_ She glanced at Merlin, who was lying very still and very pale. The only bits of colour were his neckerchief and the bleeding wound at the side of his head. Alina had worked with Gaius long enough to know that this was bad, very bad.

He didn't laugh at her. Well that was progress, she supposed. But he didn't leave either, leaving her no choice. She forbade herself from thinking about it any longer and cast the spell. The bandit leader was blown off his feet, flung through the air and thrown forcefully against a tree. He fell to the ground and didn't move again.

'I don't like to repeat myself,' Alina informed the slave traders icily. 'So I suggest you get out of here while you still can.'

Now that their leader was dead, they didn't need to be told twice. They fled from her sight as quickly as they could. She was left alone, the only one standing amidst the bodies, either injured or dead.

She waited until the sound of running men had faded away completely before she dropped her guard and ran over to her fallen companions. She took a moment to ascertain that Arthur and Gwaine would both have a massive headache when they woke up, but where not seriously harmed. They would be fine. Merlin was a another matter entirely. She thanked the heavens that he was still breathing, but that appeared to be the only good news. He was losing a lot of blood and there was some very serious damage to his head. Whoever had wielded that piece of wood had not held back in using it against her friend. She suddenly regretted not killing them all when she had the chance.

She tried to closd the wound at his head, but she felt there was more damage, that somehow she was unable to heal.

'Come on!' she begged him. 'Don't you dare die on me now, Merlin! I need you alive, _Arthur_ needs you alive!'

Merlin remained as still as he had been since he had lost consciousness.

'Please, Merlin!' She heard how desperate she sounded. 'Destiny needs us both, remember? You dying was not part of the deal. Come on, you bloody moron! Open your eyes and look at me!'

She tried, in vain, to determine the internal damage, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it, let alone fix it. She let out a frustrated cry, mingled with fear. She hardly dared to admit how scared she was.

'Listen to me, Merlin,' she snapped, trying to sound as sure of herself as she could, even though she wasn't. 'This is not how legend is supposed to go, so you better wake up right now and help me sort out all this mess. You hear me? You're supposed to be the greatest warlock of all time, so start acting like one. Wake up!'

'You can't heal him,' a calm voice spoke behind her.

She turned around so quickly that she almost lost her balance. She had heard no one coming and she feared that the slave traders had returned. But when she turned to look at the speaker, she saw that the clearing had filled with elderly men, all of them dressed in robes. Two of them were already bending over Arthur and Gwaine. She had already opened her mouth to tell them to back off when she realised they were tending to their wounds.

'Who are you?' she demanded, sounding more hostile than she had intended. She blamed the exhaustion and the fear for Merlin.

He nodded respectfully at her. 'My name is Iseldir,' he replied in that same, calm voice. If anything, he sounded peaceful, Alina decided. There was really no other word for it. 'I am the leader of the Druids in this forest. You do not need to be afraid, Lady Alina. I mean you no harm.'

_I know_. Alina nodded, wondering briefly how this man knew who she was. 'Can you help him?' she begged.

'I know a way,' he replied. 'But will you let me do it?'

She didn't even need to think about that one. There was only one answer she could give to that. 'Yes,' she said. 'Please save him.'

Iseldir smiled reassuringly at her, holding out his hands to her to help her up. 'Do not fear, Lady Alina. Emrys is safe with us.'

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**That's it for today. Next update should be Sunday! In the meantime, please leave a review. It would mean a lot.**


	79. Chapter 79

**Hello everyone, here's the new chapter. Enjoy and let me know what you think!**

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**Chapter 79**

**Arthur**

Arthur slowly became more aware of his surroundings. He could feel that he was lying on something that should probably pass for a bed, but felt nothing like his own bed in Camelot. His head was lying on a hard pillow, feeling very much as the pillow in Guinevere's small house.

He tried to move, but the smallest movement caused his head to all but explode in pain. A muffled cry of pain escaped his lips.

_What on earth…?_ Arthur thought. He tried to remember what had happened to him, what had caused him to end up here with a headache as he had never had before. Ugh, his head felt like it was about to burst. He had once, some years ago, gotten himself drunk and had woken up the following day with the feeling that there was, as Alina would phrase it, an elephant tap-dancing on his skull, but that time was nothing compared to this. If he were to remain in elephant territory, there was now an entire herd stomping around.

He tried to focus, which wasn't easy, but it was necessary. He vaguely recalled ordering their small group to stop for the night and Alina telling him it would be better if they would get off the road, which he had foolishly ignored. He had gotten into some kind of argument with Merlin over Morgana, confirming every suspicion he had ever had about the two of them. It was at that point that his memory became blurry. He thought that they had all talked to Morgana with their minds. She had discovered… something. He frowned, trying to recall the conversation, and he immediately wished he hadn't. Frowning turned out to be just as painful as any other movement.

'Ow!' he moaned.

'Careful,' a familiar voice said. 'Try not to move, Arthur.'

His eyes fluttered open, revealing Alina's face, hovering only inches above his. 'Alina?'

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. 'The one and only. Welcome back, Arthur.'

He sat up, trying to ignore the fact that the room started spinning around him as he did. 'What happened?' he demanded.

The worry that had been obvious in her eyes spread to the rest of her face. 'You don't remember?' she asked. He could almost hear her thinking _memory loss_ from her expression.

'We were talking to Morgana, weren't we?' He wanted to sound sure of himself, but he failed spectacularly.

Alina nodded. 'We were,' she confirmed. 'She told us that she had found the traitor, Mordred.'

Yes, he remembered now. Morgana had told them that the small Druid boy they had once saved, years ago, was now in league with Morgause. He had thought it utterly absurd and was about to comment on that when they had been interrupted. He just didn't know by who or what. There was just nothing beyond that point.

'And after that?' he questioned. 'What happened then?'

Alina grimaced. 'We were attacked,' she answered. 'By slave traders. They knocked you out, and Gwaine and Merlin as well. I managed to dodge the club.'

'You defeated them?' Arthur checked. Typical, all the men knocked out, leaving the only woman in the company to defend them on her own. He could better hope Morgana never heard that or he would never hear the end of it.

Alina's face darkened. 'In a manner of speaking,' she replied curtly. 'They won't bother us again.' She could probably see that he was dying to ask more questions, so she quickly moved on, distracting him with her next words. 'The Druids found us after they had gone.'

Arthur looked around him properly for the first time. He saw that he was in a small cave, sitting on a bed. There were more straw mattresses scattered around the room. There was a little light coming through an opening in the roof. The place smelled like Gaius's chambers. It was the smell of dried herbs and small fires. If only he was in Gaius's room, he thought wryly.

'We found the Druids?' he asked.

'They found us,' she corrected. 'But yes, this is their camp. Don't worry, Arthur. No one but the Druids know where the camp is and none of them wants to kill you.' She must have seen the panic on his face. 'We're safe here,' she assured him. 'Iseldir, their leader, has given me his word that no harm will come to us while we are their guests.'

'If you say so,' he muttered. To be quite honest, he already knew the Druids wouldn't harm a fly, let alone a human being. He had known that since he had helped Mordred escape Camelot years ago. 'How are Merlin and Gwaine? How long have we been here?'

'Two days,' Alina said. 'You have been unconscious all the time.'

This was just getting better and better, he thought frustrated. 'And Merlin and Gwaine?' he pressed.

She sighed. 'Gwaine is fine, already complaining about the lack of ale and mead around here.'

Yes, that sounded like Gwaine. But he also felt that she was avoiding something and he had a fairly good idea what that was. 'What about Merlin?' he repeated. 'Alina, what are you not telling me?'

She bit her lip.

'Alina?'

She took a deep breath and then told him: 'Merlin was hurt more seriously than you and Gwaine. There was damage to his brain and I couldn't fix it.' He heard the frustration and the sadness in her voice.

A shiver went down his spine. He hadn't failed to notice her use of the past tense. 'Is he…?' He let his voice trail off. There was no way he could get that horrible word out of his mouth.

'They are still doing everything they can,' Alina replied. 'But it's looking bad. He hasn't regained consciousness since the attack and their magic doesn't appear to be working, and neither are their medicines.' She sighed again. 'His only hope is the Cup of Life, but the point is that he isn't able to swallow the water.'

Arthur was on his feet without thinking about it. His head was spinning and throbbing and he felt as dizzy as he ever had been, but he ordered himself to ignore it. 'I want to see him,' he announced.

Alina eyes him warily. 'I'm not so sure that's a good idea. You can barely walk.'

Arthur glared at her. 'He's my servant, Alina. He's dying. I can't just sit here and wait for him to breathe his last!' He hadn't meant to shout, but it just happened. Merlin may be a clumsy idiot the most of the time, and he was ruder than any other servant he had ever encountered. But he was also loyal, brave and honest and he had been proven to be willing to lay down his life for any of his friends, especially Arthur. He shouldn't abandon him now.

Alina sighed in defeat. 'I know,' she said. 'Just lean on me and tell me if you're getting dizzy.'

'I'll be fine!' he snapped.

She didn't react and that was not like her. In fact, she had been snappy and uncommunicative since he had woken. He had been forced to almost literally drag information out of her. Normally, when he asked a question, he got an extensive reply, explaining every minor detail that he wasn't even interested in.

'Are you blaming yourself?' he questioned, guessing. He couldn't read her emotions, but he could read her face.

She shrugged. 'I know I shouldn't,' she replied, thus confirming his suspicions. 'But it's hard. I keep getting this feeling that I should have seen it coming.'

'Legend?' he asked.

'Not exactly, although the slave traders do come into that, just not in this way.' She shook her head in frustration. 'And it most certainly doesn't involve Merlin lying on that bloody bed fighting for his life!' Her voice rose until it was almost a shout, betraying exactly how worried she was.

He squeezed her hand. 'If we can get him to drink, he'll be fine.'

She nodded. 'That might be the problem, though.'

They entered a slightly larger cave. There were men and women in robes, all busy and they all moved around the centre of the room, where a bed was standing and on it was the still form of his servant.

He stopped dead. He had known Merlin for years, but he hardly recognized him now. Merlin had always been pale, but now his skin was just white, too pale. His eyes were closed, his face blank and if Arthur hadn't seen his chest rising and falling with his breathing, he might have believed him to be dead.

The Druids moved aside to let him through. They didn't actually speak to him, but they nodded respectfully, gave him sympathetic looks and one woman even went as far as to lay her hand on his shoulder and smile reassuringly. There was something very unnerving about it all, the sympathy, the silence. Somehow he felt guilty. His father had hunted these people and even though they treated him, the son of that king, with so much respect. He didn't understand.

Alina must have felt it. 'You're important to them,' she whispered. 'You and Merlin both. He's Emrys, you are the Once and Future King.'

He had forgotten about that, but now that she mentioned it, he could make sense of the behaviour of the people around him. To them, Merlin was like a long expected king, one that they were about to lose. And with his death, all the prophecies would die as well.

There was one man tending to a wound at Merlin's head. He looked up as Arthur and Alina sat down on the other side of the bed. 'Prince Arthur, Lady Alina,' he acknowledged.

'Thank you for taking such good care of Merlin,' Arthur said. No matter what the outcome would be, these people were obviously trying their hardest.

The man nodded and continued to change the bandages. Arthur noticed some kind of cup standing behind him on a rock. He suspected that was the Cup of Life that had caused them all to leave Camelot to find it, in the hope of preventing it from falling into the hands of Morgause. But sitting here, looking at the motionless body of his servant, that seemed to be irrelevant. The only thing that Cup was good for, was saving Merlin's life. Arthur often told himself that he didn't do emotions, especially not in public, but now he couldn't really stop himself from taking Merlin's limp hand.

'I really could use one of your it's-all-going-to-be-fine speeches now, Alina,' he remarked, trying to sound as neutral as possible, which wasn't an easy job, because his head was still throbbing like never before and he was sitting at the sickbed (he refused to use the term _deathbed_, even in his own mind) of his best friend. Because really, who was he fooling? Merlin might be his servant, he also relied on him more than anyone else, with the possible exception of his fiancée. He just hated the fact that it had to come to this before he finally realised what Merlin truly was to him: the best friend he had never had before.

'Maybe you should try and talk to him,' Alina suggested softly. 'You are two sides of the same coin, after all. He might hear you.'

Arthur was more than a little doubtful about this approach, but since he didn't have a better plan in mind, he obeyed. He swallowed and started to talk. 'Listen to me, Merlin,' he began, unable to think of something a little more original. 'You've been lying around here, sleeping for two days on end, and I really need someone to polish my armour, because the state it is in…'

**Merlin**

Merlin was still trying to determine whether he was alive or dead when a familiar voice disturbed his thoughts. He frowned, or he would have done if he could actually move. What was Arthur doing here, wherever they were?

Now that was a good question. Where was he? Ever since that blow to the head he had been drifting in and out of consciousness, but never strong enough to break through the surface and return to the world of the living. He had no idea where he was or who was here with him. All he knew that he was lying on some kind of bed and that his head was covered in bandages. Someone was holding his hand, rubbing it to get some warmth back into it. The hands holding his were soft and small and felt a lot like Alina's. His other hand was held tightly by another pair of hands. These were larger and rougher. They felt a lot like… But no, Arthur wasn't exactly the type for holding hands and Merlin saw no reason why the prince would break the habit of a lifetime now.

'So, you had better wake up, clotpole,' Arthur's voice was saying. 'Because my sword could definitely use some polishing and my clothes need to be laundered and I have no doubts that the horses need tending to as well. Besides, you're probably the only one who can get Gwaine to shut up. I swear he's driving everyone to despair by nagging them for ale and mead. So, come on, Merlin, I really, really need you to open those eyes. This man here says that you need to be awake so that you can take your medicine.'

_What man_, Merlin wondered. _And what medicine?_ He started to work his way back to the surface again, but it was like fighting against the tide.

'These people really care a lot, you know,' Arthur went on. Merlin got the weird feeling that the prince was just chattering, filling up the silence in the room. 'They've been working very hard to heal you, so the least you could do was get better, don't you think? They've gone out of their way to make sure you would be getting well again. But then, you're the all-powerful Emrys and they would really not appreciate it if you died on us now. Anyway, you know I don't approve of you and Morgana, but I've got a feeling that she'll kill me if you die now. And since you've been busy protecting me for the last years, I can't see you wanting it to come to that, so you had better wake up now.'

Merlin mentally frowned again. Had they found the Druids after all? Arthur's words certainly seemed to suggest that. Well, at least something good had come from all this mess. He doubled his efforts to get back to them. He unconsciously balled his hands into fists, or, he tried that. He had momentarily forgotten that Arthur and Alina were holding them.

Alina gasped and even Arthur inhaled audibly.

'Merlin?' Alina's voice asked, hopefully. 'Can you hear us? Squeeze my hand if you can.'

He found that it was easier to move his hands now that he had done it before. He still was unable to move any other part of his body, but his hands he had control over and so he gave both their hands a small squeeze.

'Thank the heavens,' Arthur muttered.

'Indeed,' an unknown voice agreed.

'Merlin, do you think you can swallow?' Alina pressed. 'We really need you to take some medicine. Squeeze my hand if you think you can, and Arthur's if you think you can't.'

'Hang on!' Arthur exclaimed indignantly. 'My hand's already been squeezed enough, thank you very much.'

Merlin could picture Alina's famous run-and-hide look as she snapped at the prince. 'You better not mean that, Arthur Pendragon,' she warned him.

Merlin tried to swallow and found that he actually could, so he gave Alina's hand a small squeeze.

'Oh, well,' she said, sounding infinitely relieved. 'Iseldir, I think he can manage.'

'Are you sure, my lady?' the man called Iseldir asked.

'Merlin seems to be, so I am willing to give it a try,' Alina replied. 'You did a good job, Arthur, talking him out of this.'

'I just talked!' Arthur protested.

The Court Sorceress chuckled. Merlin thought Arthur was probably looking funny right now. 'I told you, you are two sides of the same coin. There's a little more to this than just talk.'

'You sound as cryptic as that bloody dragon,' Arthur muttered under his breath.

Merlin felt that he was being lifted a little and a cup was being held to his lips. 'Drink, Merlin,' Alina urged.

And Merlin drank.

**Arthur**

Arthur watched expectantly as Alina gently let Merlin drink from the Cup of Life. He doubted if his servant was aware of what exactly it was that they were giving him. Well, at least Iseldir had assured them that no one needed to die for him. Arthur was sure that none of the Druids would have minded to lay down their life for the great Emrys, and he knew he did not have any reservations about that himself either. He owed his life to the warlock a million times.

Merlin swallowed with difficulty and Alina laid him back down, after which she handed the Cup back to Iseldir. The Druid chief placed the magical object back on the rock and retreated a few steps to give them some privacy.

Arthur knew he was clinging to straws and it could very well be his imagination, but he could swear that the servant was breathing easier. The breaths were deeper and stronger and Arthur sighed in relief as a little colour returned to his cheeks. He studied Merlin's face, but his jaw dropped as he saw his head. The right side of Merlin's skull had been a mess the last time he looked, but now, there wasn't as much as a scratch to be seen there. There was nothing to suggest that only a minute ago the warlock had been gravely injured.

'Alina, look,' he breathed.

For the first time since this whole drama had started there was a genuine smile on the sorceress's face, one that actually reached her eyes. 'I know,' she said. 'It's working.'

That, Arthur decided, was the understatement of the year. Merlin had had some minor injuries. Alina had healed some of them, but her main focus had been on the head wound. Now they simply disappeared. Arthur could literally see them shrink away before his eyes.

'Impossible,' he whispered. Before he had gone on this mission he had thought he had understood why this Cup was of such importance, but now, seeing with his own eyes what this object was capable of, he really, truly understood what this was all about. He had not really been thinking that Leon had been exaggerating when he told them all that he had been as good as dead when all of a sudden he had come back to life as a result of drinking a mouthful of water, but he had thought it strange, and almost unbelievable. Now he had no such doubts anymore. Merlin had been dying, even he could see that. He had only taken as much as a sip out of the Cup of Life and here he was, looking as healthy as he ever had, even more so, actually.

'Not that impossible,' Alina pointed out. 'And you should know better than anyone,' she added.

He frowned. It didn't hurt as much as it had before. 'What do you mean?'

'The questing beast incident?' she reminded him. 'Merlin going to the Isle of the Blessed to get a cure for you?'

He nodded. 'I remember.'

'Then you really should stop sounding so surprised.'

He chose to ignore that, instead opting on looking at his best friend, relieved that he appeared to be making a quick recovery. So, when Merlin's eyes finally opened, he could honestly say that he was glad to see those clear blue eyes again. His face split into a grin that was an almost exact copy of Merlin's most happy grin.

'Welcome back,' he said.

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**The next time Morgana is going to have a little chat with a certain Druid boy… It should be up Thursday. In the meantime, I really like to know what you think about this chapter.**


	80. Chapter 80

**Hello again, dear readers. I'm really glad you are all still reading this. Thanks. Here's the next chapter for you. And yes, I know I write a lot in Morgana's POV lately, but as it happens she's the only main character in Camelot at this point in the story. I hope you don't mind. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

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**Chapter 80**

**Morgana**

Dealing with Mordred was easier said than done. All Morgana was really sure of was that she would not for the life of her involve Uther in this mess. He would have the boy on a pyre faster than she could blink her eyes if she reported him. So, that option was ruled out, but there didn't appear to be many others. Because what were you supposed to do with a thirteen year old boy with magical powers, spying for a sorceress who had made it her life's ambition to destroy Camelot? To be quite honest, she had no idea. After all, he was only a child, a child helping the enemy, but a child nonetheless. Threatening him with violence or even using violence went against everything she believed in. But then, she could not let him continue what he was doing either.

Gwen's help in this situation was invaluable and Morgana was glad she had chosen to trust her. Because she was a servant she could ask questions without arising suspicion. She was a servant inquiring about other servants. No one thought anything about that. It was what they were all supposed to do.

Gwen was a born spy, Morgana pondered. In only two days time she had learned that the boy was living with the cook, who had taken to mothering him and fattening him up. In fact, the serving staff seemed to be adoring him. He helped out with chores, was kind and always prepared to listen to others. Morgana dreaded to think how much he had learned from those little chats.

It had to stop. That was why she now found herself outside the kitchens, hidden away in a small alcove, observing the activity there. She could see the cook and a few of her helpers preparing the meat for that night's dinner. Mordred was standing with them, helping out a bit, but mostly just stealing treats off the table. Everyone saw it, but no one commented on it. They all thought the boy was cute, so they allowed it.

_Come on, Morgana_, she told herself firmly. _You're not a frightened old woman_. So she straightened her back, lifted her chin and marched into the kitchen.

'My lady!' the cook said in a surprised voice when she saw her.

Morgana forced her face into a smile. 'Good afternoon,' she said friendly. 'I was wondering if I could borrow your protégé for a few moments.' It was a normal request, phrased as friendly as she could, but everyone knew that it was an order really. If you happened to be the Lady Morgana, people just didn't say no to you.

'Of course,' the cook said. She didn't sound suspicious at all. Morgana believed the maternal elderly woman truly cared for the child and she almost felt bad for having to accuse Mordred, but she knew she had to. There was just no way his presence here was a coincidence and with the fate of Arthur's little group uncertain, she could not afford to do nothing.

Morgana smiled at Mordred as well. 'Will, was it not?'

He bowed. 'Yes, my lady.'

'Would you please come with me?' she asked. She laid her hand on his shoulder in an apparent friendly gesture, but really to ascertain he couldn't make a run for it. The boy was intelligent. He must have realised that she wasn't here to just discuss the weather with him. The realisation was obvious in his eyes and tense posture.

She led him out of the kitchen to an unused storage room. She closed the door behind them and remained standing against it, seemingly just in nonchalance, but who was she fooling really? It was all too clear that she was preventing the boy from doing a runner on her.

He was uneasy, jumpy even. 'Why have you brought me here, my lady?' he asked. He was unable to ban the nervousness from his voice.

'I'm going to ask you to stop spying for Morgause,' she said, deciding to go for the direct approach. 'I know why you're here, and who you're working for. I can't allow you to continue doing that, Mordred.'

'My name is Will,' the boy told her.

'Drop the pretence,' she snapped. 'It's not working. I already know who you are. And I mean you no harm. I just want you to stop carrying out Morgause's orders.' She had no idea what she would do if Mordred refused to honour her wishes. She didn't have it in her to murder a child.

Mordred obviously had not counted on her knowing so much. He looked a bit shocked and that was what gave him away.

'See, you _do_ know what I am talking about,' Morgana concluded with some triumph in her voice. 'And I am going to ask you again to stop it. Your actions are threatening a lot of lives, including the life of the Once and Future King and Queen.' _And Merlin's_, the voice in the back of her head added helpfully.

The boy scowled. 'Arthur is as bad as Uther. He's not the Once and Future King. He will not bring magic back to the land.'

For a moment she was shocked. These were the words of an adult coming out of a child's mouth. Even worse, these were Morgause's words, delivered in the same angry, bitter tone she used to use when it came to the Pendragons. If anything, this only proved to her where Mordred's loyalties really lay.

'He will,' she said in a soft voice. 'Did he not save you from his own father, even though he knew you had magic? He knows about Alina and he knows about me. He's going to marry Alina, Mordred. He has accepted me for who I am, magic and all.' That was a bit of a lie and she knew it. Arthur may have accepted the fact that she had magic, but he had most definitely not accepted what she had done with it. But then, Mordred didn't need to know that. 'He really is the Once and Future King, Mordred. He will do everything the prophecies say.' She may not like Arthur's attitude towards her, but she knew enough about him to know to know that what she was saying was the truth.

'That doesn't matter,' Mordred said dismissively. 'Emrys has betrayed our cause. Now those prophecies will never be.'

Morgana remembered Emrys, although she knew him under a different name first. Dragoon the Great, or Emrys, as she supposed she should call him now, was an old man, but absolutely devoted to Arthur, even though they had never properly met, not that she was aware of anyway. That slightly crazy old man really wanted to protect Arthur and the future he represented. In her eyes that was no betrayal of the cause, it was doing what any other sorcerer in his senses should be doing.

'If anyone wants the prophecies to come true, it is Emrys,' she told Mordred. She couldn't really explain why she suddenly felt so protective of the old man. After all, he had not really been nice to her the last time they met. But then, he had once risked his own life to protect her secret. She owed him.

Mordred studied her face. 'Do you know who he is, Morgana?' he asked.

If Morgause had told him about the meeting in the forest, as she was sure she had, then this was a strange question to be asking. Of course she knew who Emrys was: an old man with blue eyes and long white hair and a beard. He had a very strange way of speaking and he needed a stick to help him walk, or he pretended to need it. And, of course, he was the most powerful warlock in existence, who protected Camelot from behind the scenes, in a way similar to Alina and Merlin. She didn't really know much else, but she didn't feel the need to know more. She told Mordred as much. 'But I suspect my sister already told you this,' she added. 'I doubt you needed me to confirm it for you.'

'You don't know,' the young Druid said, disbelieving. 'He never told you his real identity?'

_Be careful_, the voice in her head warned her. _He's trying to distract you, to make you doubt about this. Don't let him. Whatever he says, don't let him._

_I know_, she replied. But it was too late already. Her curiosity sparked. She wanted to know what it was that he was hiding from her. 'I have no idea what you are talking about,' she informed him.

He blinked, clearly surprised. If this was faked, then he was a better actor than she had given him credit for. 'Emrys,' he said. 'The old man is his disguise. He used an ageing spell.'

So, what was he saying? That she knew this man in a younger form? That was ridiculous. If someone with so much power was protecting Camelot from behind the scenes, surely she would have noticed by now. She knew Alina did it, and that Merlin helped her. If there was someone else, she would know by now.

Her heart missed a beat as she started to connect the dots, that were all too obvious now that she started to think it through for the first time. Maybe it was because Merlin was so in the forefront of her mind these days, or maybe it was the memory of the old man's piercing blue eyes, that were so like Merlin's. No, not like Merlin's. What if the reason those eyes were so familiar was because she knew the man they belonged to?

Now that she had started to think about it, all the other pieces fell into place. Alina and Merlin had been working together to protect Camelot. Morgana had always assumed that Merlin was the one who did most of the spying, which he could do very easily as a servant. But what if the reason those two were working together was because they both had magic?

All those times Camelot was mysteriously saved she had assumed Alina had a hand in that, but now that she was analysing everything, she had to admit that those mysterious solutions had already been happening before the princess had first come to Camelot. In fact, they had been happening ever since the young man had shown up.

All these things were going through her head in a matter of mere seconds. She kept her face blank. She must not forget that she was still trying to reason with an angry magical teenager. This revelation should have no effect on the plan. All her questions needed to be stored for later, however hard that was, because she had about a million, all of which she was dying to ask.

But that was what he wanted her to do. He wanted her to feel betrayed, so that she would let him do what he came here to do. And if she let him do that, something terrible was bound to happen. Merlin could be dead by now, and so could Alina and Arthur. For the moment she had to assume that was the case. So it was down to her to stop this terrible thing, whatever it might be, from happening.

So she forced her face into a smirk, deciding to make this one colossal bluff. 'If you're referring to Merlin, then yes, I already know that,' she said as dismissively as she could manage. 'This is old news to me, Mordred.'

If the expression on his face was anything to go by, she had guessed right. He blinked a few times and his jaw dropped. He obviously had expected her not to know. Now, of course it was news to her, but she needed to convince him that it wasn't and that his revelation had no influence whatsoever on her determination to stop him from destroying Camelot. She needed to make him believe that her earlier ignorance was no more than an act, to protect Merlin's identity from an enemy.

'You know,' he whispered.

She snorted. 'Of course I know,' she snapped. 'And it changes nothing. So you are going to get out of Camelot before sunset. If you're still here after then, I'll report you to Uther and then we'll see how much you can do for my sister from the inside of a cell.' She really had to remember that she was not dealing with an adult here, but it was hard for her. Mordred didn't act in the way a child should. Maybe the hardships in his life had forced him to grow up faster than other children.

But suddenly he looked like a boy again, looking at her with wide eyes that almost made her feel sorry for him. Almost. 'Would you do that Morgana? You know what he would do to me.'

'Yes,' she answered without hesitation. She didn't even know if it was bluff anymore. 'Go, Mordred and never come back.' She moved away from the door to let him out and pretended not to notice the disappointment forming on his face. This wasn't the time to go soft on her enemies, no matter what their age was. Mordred presented a real threat and she needed him gone.

'You betrayed the cause, Morgana,' he said softly.

She shrugged. 'Yes, I suppose I did.' There was after all no point in pretending otherwise. She had not only abandoned Morgause, but she was also working against her now. But it was better this way. Maybe this path wouldn't give her the quick results she had longed for a year ago, but in the end the future would be better for all of them. _If they are still alive_. 'But it wasn't the right cause anyway,' she added. 'If only you could see that.'

He walked out of the room without responding. Morgana closed the door behind him and sank onto the ground. _Oh dear, what a mess._

**Alina**

Alina had sat herself down on one of the many pieces of rock in the caves. For the first time in days she had the feeling that everything really could be all right in the end. Gwaine had taken to complaining about the lack of alcohol in this camp, which was proof that he at least was completely recovered, Arthur was back on his feet again, albeit still suffering from a minor headache and Merlin was the greatest miracle of all. Only hours ago everyone in the caves had been fearing for his life.

His recovery was indeed a relief to her, but not as much as it could have been, she supposed. When she first came here the Druids had urged her to take some rest, get some sleep. They would call her if something happened, so she had listened to them and tried to sleep. But when she woke up, screaming, she knew immediately that had been her worst idea in ages. As soon as she closed her eyes, the dead bandit's face kept showing up again and again.

_It isn't murder_, she told herself, over and over again. _It was self-defence and you know it_. But that was what her brain told her. Because in her opinion the man hadn't been an immediate threat when she had flung him backwards against a tree. He wasn't attacking her then, so it was not self-defence.

'Are you all right?' a familiar voice asked. The person the voice belonged to seated himself next to her.

'Merlin,' she said in a surprised voice. She had not heard him coming. 'Good to see you up again. At some point we really thought we were going to lose you.'

He smiled his most Merlinish smile. 'I'm tougher than I look.'

'So it would seem,' she agreed, very grateful for that fact. 'And believe me when I say that Arthur is more relieved than he lets on. He may be a clotpole from time to time, but he cares.' She knew that was true. Arthur wasn't one for putting his emotions on display. That might be the result of Uther's lessons on how a king should behave. He had never learned how to show his feelings, had, until not so long ago, believed that showing them was a weakness. If she didn't have that connection to his feelings she might sometimes have doubted his feelings for her as well. Being romantic didn't come easy to him, but then, it didn't come easy to her either. She was too much down to earth to waste time on telling him how she felt, especially when she had more important matters to tend to, like saving Camelot from a crisis, which unfortunately happened all the time lately. And besides, both of them already knew how they felt about each other and none of them felt the need to state the obvious every day. Alina used to think of the pair of them as a good working team, knowing what the other was up to without having to ask.

'I know,' Merlin said. 'He noticed there was something going on with you,' he added. 'Something that you didn't want to discuss with him.'

Shit. Most of the time she was glad Arthur was so much more observant than he was in the series, but when she really wanted, needed him not to see something, he of course had to find out immediately. Having said that, she had to admit that he was thoughtful about it. Without her needing to spell it out for him, he had sensed that she could not discuss it with him, or she would have done so already. So instead of trying to persuade her to talk to him, he had sent her best friend to look after her.

'Since when is Arthur that observant?' she muttered under her breath.

The warlock laughed. 'Don't know. It just happened.' He became serious again. 'What's wrong, Alina?'

She studied his face. 'Would you just let it go if I said I was fine?' she tried.

'No,' he said.

She sighed. She had expected as much. 'It's one of the bandits,' she confessed. 'I killed him.'

He frowned, not understanding. 'That was only right. He attacked you.'

'No, he didn't,' she argued. 'Not at that time. I made an example of him, hoping to scare the others away. It was murder.'

'Nonsense,' Merlin said.

Suspecting this was said more to reassure her than that he actually meant it, she eyed him warily. 'So you have used your magic like this before?' she questioned. If she remembered right and legend was as accurate as she believed it to be, she knew for a fact that he hadn't.

'Well, no,' he admitted. 'But it was necessary,' he went on immediately. 'You scared them away, right?'

'Only after I took out their leader in a similar way.'

He smiled. 'And you have no regrets over him?'

She grimaced. 'Good grief, no. That man was a bastard. He would have killed us all given the chance. He deserved what he got.' She didn't have to think on that one. She had gotten a small insight in his thoughts, enough to convince her that she had done the right thing. 'The other man was different, though. He was mocking me, yes, but when it came down to it, he was only following orders.'

Merlin raised his eyebrows in an almost perfect imitation of Gaius's way of doing that. 'He was a slave trader, Alina. He wasn't exactly an innocent. Who knows how many lives he had ruined over the years. You've done the world a favour by ending that.'

She wasn't sure if she believed that, but she didn't want to discuss it any further. What's done is done anyway. There was nothing she could do to change any of it, so she had better move on. She had better things to do than worry about some slave trader's life, especially when so many other lives were at stake.

'So, has Arthur already convinced Iseldir to give us the Cup?' she said, changing the subject.

He seemed to sense that she was mentioning the Cup only to change the subject to something less sensitive, as far as the Cup of Life was ever less sensitive. 'He's discussing it right now,' he replied. 'I think he'll let us take it, though. At least he knows we don't want to use it to create an immortal army. I don't think the same is true for Cenred and Morgause.'

She grimaced, remembering all too well what legend said about Morgause's plans. 'I don't think that, I know that,' she pointed out.

Merlin looked at her, seriously. 'What do you think our chances are in this?'

'With Mordred and Morgause working together?' she asked. 'I really have no idea.' The worst part of that sentence was that every word of it was true.

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**Now, who saw Mordred's revelation coming? Was it good, bad? Let me know please.**

**Next time: Morgause is extremely pissed off and a certain magical object is going to be transported. Hopefully until then!**


	81. Chapter 81

**Hello again. Wow, 200 reviews! I'm impressed, flattered etc. You're really amazing readers. Anyway, here's the next chapter for you. It's a little longer than usual, but I don't think you guys actually mind that. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 81**

**Morgana**

Morgana looked from the window of her bedroom at the young boy walking from the courtyard. It would appear that Mordred had heeded her words and was really leaving Camelot. She sipped from her goblet as she watched him go.

Some small part of her felt sorry for the boy. He hadn't always been like this. When she had first met him he was a hurt, frightened little boy. She wondered how he could have changed so quickly, but then, how long had it taken her to turn to Morgause's side? She had been misled and scared, as was Mordred now. She knew herself how skilled her sister was in making people see her side of the story, no matter how untrue and twisted it may be.

She wondered if she had made the right choice. Was sending the boy away really the best way to deal with this? There was no telling what he would do now. She had no way of knowing.

But then, what else was she supposed to do? Yes, it would have been safest if he had been locked away in the dungeons below the castle, but she could never do that willingly to another human being, especially a child.

Ugh, she wished Alina was here. At the moment she could really use some of her future knowledge. Even the everything-is-going-to-be-fine speech would be more than welcome now. She hated the fact of being completely on her own. Of course Gwen was here, but it wasn't the same. What she needed was someone who did not only know her very well, but who could also help her do the things that needed doing. Gwen could only do that to a certain extent.

And there were so many questions going around in her head, most of them concerning Merlin. Mordred's revelation had unleashed a chaos in her heart and head. After he left she was torn between anger, hurt, relief and hysterics. She had no idea which emotions she felt strongest.

Part of her, the part that spoke with Morgause's voice, told her she should feel betrayed and angry. Merlin had been lying to her for years and Alina hadn't exactly been eager to tell her either. They had told her they both trusted her unconditionally, but yet they hadn't trust her with the biggest secret of all. Why hadn't they?

She pondered that during lunch, pushing her food from one side of her plate to the other, hardly eating any of it. Was it because she had been in league with Morgause? Did they want to know for certain that she would not turn back to her sister before they told her? She remembered telling Mordred that this didn't change anything, but she wasn't so sure of that now. It changed everything. It turned her entire world upside down.

So, what was she to do? Should she turn her back on them all now? Part of her longed to do that. This betrayal hurt more than she could have imagined. It poured salt in wounds she thought had been healing. Because if Merlin had magic, then it made what he had done to her ten times worse. He had magic, was the most powerful warlock to ever walk the earth. Surely he could have found another way to deal with the knights of Medhir? Surely he could have come up with a better idea than poisoning her?

She let out a shout of frustration in a voice that didn't even sound like it belonged to her. _Why, Merlin, why?_ Of all people in the world, why did it have to be Merlin? She could almost see his face when she closed her eyes, especially those pleading blue eyes as he begged her to stop attacking Camelot.

'You don't have magic, Merlin,' she had said when they were fighting in the crypts. 'How could you _hope_ to understand?'

'I do understand, believe me!' It wasn't just his voice that was pleading then. It were his eyes that were begging her to believe him, to believe that he did know what it was like to be in her shoes, because he had magic too.

How could she have missed something that obvious? Now all she wanted to do was to slap her face for not working it out sooner. Had he been trying to tell her then? Had he been wanting to, only held back by the knowledge that she would use that fact to destroy him completely?

Her mind was going round in circles, torn between wanting to hate him and, almost desperately, wanting to love him at the same time. She had really come to cherish him, not only as a friend, but maybe as something more than that as well. Would this newly gained knowledge influence that? Would it destroy what little they had, break it down until there was nothing left but hatred and distrust? She had gone down that road once before. She wasn't sure that she could do it again. It hurt too much.

Maybe that was her answer. Hating Merlin simply hurt too much. No matter what he had done or who he might be, she could not go back to hating him, not the way she had done before. Apart from breaking Merlin's heart (if Alina was really right about the two of them), her own heart wouldn't come out of it in one piece either.

'This is ridiculous,' she said to the empty room. Mordred had disappeared out of sight and she walked over to a chair. She really needed to sit down. Because this was exactly what she had called it: ridiculous. It was ridiculous that she didn't hate Merlin for not telling her who he really was. It was even more ridiculous that she still loved him. Her feelings were basically unchanged. Oh, she was sure she would call him every foul name she could think of when they met again. She would yell, shout, hit him and make one hell of a scene, but that didn't change how she felt about him. It was as if something literally prevented her from crossing that line from love to hate. Alina would probably call it legend or destiny. If that was the case, she hated legend.

But this could all be pointless, she remembered suddenly. She still hadn't heard from either Merlin or Alina. Merlin could be dead, passed away in the attack that had swung her out of his head. She balled her hands into fists, trying to control her breathing. She didn't want to panic or cry, but only the thought that Merlin could be dead made it hard to keep the tears at bay.

'You had better not be dead, Merlin,' she muttered, trying to bite back the sudden tears. 'I still have a lot to say to you.' Things like _idiot_, _liar_, _I hate you_ and _I love you_.

Because that was what she did: she loved him, a lot. That was the main reason why she could not turn against him. Now she could see past her initial anger, she started to see possibilities. Once, when Uther was dead and Arthur was king and magic would once again be welcomed in the realm, then it would be perfectly agreeable for the Lady Morgana to marry the most important warlock of all times. It wouldn't just be a noble lady falling for a lowly serving boy, it would be the noble lady falling in love with the important Emrys. She could do that. _If_ he was still alive.

She was so deep in thought that she hadn't heard the door open and close. She only became aware of someone else being in the room when that someone spoke to her. 'Sister.'

Morgana almost threw herself out of her chair, spinning around to face the intruder. 'Morgause!'

She could hardly believe her eyes. It should be impossible for the blonde enchantress to get into this heavily guarded castle, let alone her room. She remembered Alina's many comments about the guards in this city and could not help but agree. Where on earth were they when she needed them?

Well, apparently they were not anywhere near, because it really was Morgause standing in the middle of her room as if she belonged there. She was wearing the red dress Morgana had always thought of as very beautiful and she wasn't carrying any armour for as far as she could see, so at least she wasn't planning on fighting.

'What are you doing here?' Morgana demanded. Morgause's presence caused very mixed feelings. She still cared for her as a sister, but she knew enough about Morgause's activities to know that her being in Camelot spelled trouble for the kingdom, or, in this case, for her. Mordred would have reported their conversation by now and Morgause was bound to be displeased about that.

Morgause smiled, but it was a guarded one. 'Mordred told me what you said to him.'

Morgana bit her lip. 'If he told you, then why are you here?'

'Because I hoped it wasn't true.' There was a pleading tone in her voice. Morgana still mattered to her. This would be a test, she told herself, to see how much exactly.

'Every word of it was true,' she said, trying to sound as sure of herself as she had when she threatened Mordred, but it was difficult for her. Somewhere deep down she still cared for her sister. She still wanted her to be safe. She had abandoned Morgause for that reason and that reason still stood. No matter what else had changed, that hadn't. Maybe that was what you did when it came to family. Whatever she did, there would always be a part of her that would want to protect Morgause. But she could never help her in bringing down Camelot and the Pendragons either. She knew now that was a line she could not cross, if not for Arthur's sake, then for Merlin's.

Sadness was obvious in Morgause's eyes. 'How could you, sister?' she whispered. 'What have they done to you?'

'They have shown me that they care for me,' Morgana replied truthfully. 'That they accept me, magic and all. They have shown me that there is a way that Camelot can be a place where one day magical and non-magical people can live together in harmony, under the rule of the Once and Future King.'

Morgause backed away as if Morgana had physically hit her. 'No!' she breathed.

'Yes,' Morgana said. She looked her right in the eyes, so that Morgause could see that she meant every word.

That triggered Morgause's anger. Morgana recognised it immediately. She had seen it countless times. It just never had been pointed at her and it was a bit frightening to see. 'How dare you?' she hissed. 'How dare you betray our cause like that? They would have you burned at the stake as soon as they found out about you! And what exactly do you think your precious Arthur will do once he learns you're a witch?'

'He would throw a tantrum worthy of a four year old, then sulk for a few weeks and then carry on as usual, letting me be who I am,' she replied. She knew most of this from what Alina and Merlin had told her. Apparently Arthur had been shouting a lot the evening he found out, after which he had been moody and bad-tempered for weeks.

Strangely enough he had never discussed the matter with Morgana herself. Alina had quietly mentioned that Arthur was aware of her powers and her actions after her return to Camelot. But they had never discussed it between just the two of them and part of her was glad. She didn't know if she could bear the disappointment that she knew would be there. The first time she had shown her magic to him was when she had been trying to cure him of his donkey ears. The matter had been very awkward to say at least.

Morgause narrowed her eyes in suspicion. 'How would you know?' she questioned.

'Because he already knows,' Morgana explained. 'He's accepted me, Morgause, even knowing what I did.' And that was the truth. It had been awkward, but she had no doubt that slowly, very slowly Arthur was really starting to trust her and she was determined to not damage that trust in any way.

'You abandoned me!' Morgause stated, her voice dangerously low. For the first time ever, Morgana was on the receiving end of her sister's wrath and she could see her as Alina and Merlin must no doubt see her: as a dangerous woman, caring for nobody but herself. Morgana had always known that Morgause had such a side. She just hadn't believed it would be so close to the surface. 'You betrayed the cause! You betrayed me!'

Angry though she might sound, there was also a underlying tone of hurt and betrayal in her voice, a tone Morgana knew all too well. It almost broke her heart, but there was no way she could deny it. 'I did it for your sake,' she explained softly. 'And then I found out that your way is not the best way to achieve our ends.'

'_Our ends_?' Morgause echoed at a volume probably audible in the rest of the castle. 'Don't you dare, Morgana! Your "ends" are nothing like the cause. You have become a coward, sister, letting that awful woman scare you into thinking hers is the only way.'

Morgana blinked. She had never seen Morgause like this before. She had always been kind and understanding, even when Morgana had had doubts about what they were doing. She had listened to her and reassured her. Never ever had she lost control like that, yelling at her sister and insulting the people she had come to care about enormously. To be quite honest, it frightened her a little.

'Alina is a good woman,' she felt obliged to point out. 'She's been like a sister to me, Morgause.' That was probably the understatement of the year. Had it not been for Alina's calming influence, Arthur would probably have killed her as soon as he found out. And she had done so much more after that, even agreeing to teach her magic and asking her to be her bridesmaid. She wondered how many other people would have done the same thing for her. She had a feeling that there wouldn't be many.

But the use of the word _sister_ when referring to Alina had been chosen wrongly, she knew only a second later. Her real sister's face twisted in anger, her eyes sparking with rage. 'A sister!?' she yelled. 'Have you forgotten about me so quickly?'

'No,' Morgana said, calmer than she felt. 'But I think I know her better than I know you,' she added, without giving herself permission to do so. The thought effortlessly found its way to her mouth and it was out before she could stop it. 'I look at you and I have no idea who I am looking at. I've never seen you like this, Morgause. Please, calm down.'

The rage left her eyes as quickly as it had started. Instead, those clear brown eyes went as sad as she had ever seen them. 'I thought you were like me,' she whispered.

'As did I,' Morgana confessed. 'But alas, we were both wrong.' _And both in different ways_. Had she once believed that Morgause had some pity, humanity in her, now she wasn't so sure anymore. It made her sad as well as angry and the words came out harsher than she had intended. 'I think this is where we say goodbye, Morgause. I'll always care for you as a sister, but the way things are now, we can no longer be friends. I have chosen to protect Camelot and you have made your own choices. It pains me, but I must ask you to leave, or I will have to call the guards to have you arrested.' These words weren't easy to say, but she knew she had to. They had made their choices and regrettably they had led them away from one another.

Morgause nodded, almost invisibly, which was a surprise to Morgana. She hadn't expected Morgause to make it easy. She had anticipated more shouting, or even begging, but not this. A compliant Morgause was as rare as a four-leaf clover. 'I know, sister,' she said softly. 'There'll be no need to call your guards. I'll go. Farewell, sister.' She spoke a few words in the old tongue and she disappeared in a whirlwind. The room was empty again.

Morgana sank back into her chair, exhausted, wishing desperately for something to turn back the time and prevent all the mess they were now finding themselves in.

**Merlin**

The morning was clear and cold when they set out from the Druids' camp back to Camelot. Merlin shivered in his old jacket. He didn't object to autumn, but he did have a problem with the cold. Growing up in a house that was never really comfortably warm he had come to greatly appreciate the well-heated rooms in Camelot. The caves hadn't been exactly warm, but here, in the early hours of the morning, it was downright cold.

'Chilly, isn't it?' Alina's voice asked in an amused tone. She must have seen him shiver.

'Obviously,' he muttered under his breath.

She laughed. The sound of it rang through the forest. 'Really, Merlin. You are supposed to be the greatest warlock of all time. Don't you know any spells to warm yourself?'

He shrugged. 'Never thought about it,' he confessed, causing Arthur and Gwaine to chuckle. And now that he thought about it, it seemed like a unforgiveable gap in his knowledge.

'Let me,' Alina offered. She muttered some words and he felt suddenly a lot better. She repeated the spell on the other two.

'It really has its advantages, traveling with a sorceress,' Gwaine commented happily. 'And of course the mighty, all-powerful Emrys.' He made a mocking half-bow.

Merlin shook his head in disbelief. His real identity had been impossible to hide in a camp full of Druids, so Gwaine was bound to find out about him, although by the time Merlin had been conscious enough to start worrying about it, Gwaine had already discovered the truth. And Merlin needn't have worried, because, if anything, the dark-haired man thought it was hilarious. When Merlin had asked him why, Gwaine had pointed out, between howls of laughter, that it was absurd really that the most powerful man ever spent his time mucking out stables and polishing armour. For some reason Arthur had joined in the laughter, but Merlin didn't understand what the fun was all about.

'He does come in handy from time to time,' Arthur agreed.

'He does, eh, king Merlin?' Gwaine looked rather pleased with his own invention. 'That's it, king Merlin!' He made an even lower bow.

'I'm not their king!' he protested. Although he could not deny that the Druids had treated him as such. It had been more than a little awkward to be treated with more respect than Arthur, although the prince didn't seem to be bothered by it. The only one feeling uncomfortable was Merlin himself. It went against everything he had learned to be treated as a lord rather than as a servant. He had never wanted that. He didn't need recognition, not from anyone other than his closest friends.

'Yeah, sure,' Arthur mockingly agreed. 'They bowed to you, idiot. All that was missing was a nice shiny crown.'

'Well, and there was no crown, so I'm not their king,' Merlin insisted. And to be quite honest, he had no idea what to do with people who kept telling him that they were at his disposal. The only thing that made him do was longing for a quick escape.

He could see both Gwaine and Arthur were preparing for another witty comment, but Alina cut them off. 'Stop it, both of you,' she commanded. 'Merlin's got enough on his plate already.'

'Yeah, sure,' Arthur repeated in that same clearly disbelieving voice. 'How bad can it possibly be to be treated like a king? I know I wouldn't mind.'

'Me neither,' Gwaine put in.

She glared at them. 'So, if an entire group of people you have never met before suddenly starts all but worshipping you for something you are supposed to do in the future, you would feel perfectly all right with that?' she demanded. 'Wouldn't you not feel even a little bit confused?'

Gwaine shrugged, but Arthur gave a small nod. 'So, Merlin's just confused?' He looked at him for confirmation.

'A bit,' Merlin replied, truthfully, although that was understating it enormously. _Thanks, Alina_, he thought at her.

_For what?_ she wondered, frowning.

_Standing up for me_, he clarified.

Now it was her turn to shrug. _That's what friends are for._

'Would you mind not doing that?' Arthur complained. 'All this mind talking the two of you do makes me feel left out.'

Merlin smirked. 'Feeling jealous, Arthur?'

'Jealous?' Arthur echoed, disbelieving. 'Of you? _Please_!'

'Well, it was Merlin they trusted the Cup to,' Alina pointed out teasingly. 'Not you.'

That was one of the strangest things so far. Merlin had been as surprised as Arthur when Iseldir handed the Cup to him and not to the crown prince of Camelot. Maybe he should have seen it coming. After all, to them he was Emrys, one of them. It made sense that they rather gave such a powerful magical object to a powerful sorcerer who had more means of ensuring its safety than a prince who could do nothing more than swinging his sword around when danger arose. The only problem with this arrangement was how they were supposed to explain it to Uther. Maybe they could leave it in Alina's care for the last part of the journey, Merlin thought.

Arthur's smirk spelled trouble. 'Well, he is their king after all.' A moment later he was hit at the back of his head by a few small stones that somehow just happened to be flying around there. 'Ow! That's cheating!'

Merlin and Alina laughed. Apparently they had the same idea at exactly the same time.

'We should stop for a break,' Gwaine announced.

Merlin frowned. 'We've only been on the road for a few hours!' he protested.

'Well, it's hard work, this quest business,' Gwaine pointed out.

Alina rolled her eyes. 'You don't get it, do you?' she said impatiently. 'We need to get the Cup to Camelot as soon as possible. With Mordred as Morgause's ally in the castle you can be sure that Cenred knows by now. And he will have men out looking for us, which means that we have to get the hell out of here and cross the border before we take a rest.' The look in her eyes told him that it would be most unwise to make any further objections.

Merlin studied her closely. He was worried about her. Ever since that attack she had been as closed as a stubborn oyster. Where normally she was the first to explain something or tell everyone that everything was going to be fine, she now needed to be asked before telling something and he had not heard her using the word fine for days now.

He knew her well enough to at least guess the cause of this behaviour. She had confided in him that she had trouble coming to terms with what she did to that bandit and what it said about her. Merlin knew it had been self-defence, but he also knew that she had labelled it as murder in her head and nothing he said would persuade her to change her mind on the subject.

He did understand the moral dilemma. Both of them had been trying their hardest to prove to everyone that magic could and would be used for good. He somehow doubted that good included flinging at-that-moment-not-attacking men against trees. But then, he also understood why her actions had been necessary. Had she not killed that one man, those bandits would not have taken her seriously. They would not have backed off so easily. It was one of those grey areas that was difficult to define. Merlin greatly appreciated what Alina had done in that clearing, but he sincerely hoped he would never find himself in a similar situation.

Because he could see it was costing her. She had woken up screaming and crying three times only last night. Iseldir had told him that she had barely slept since they had arrived at the camp and it was visible in her appearance. Her face was pale and there were bags under her eyes. Her temper hadn't been good either. She was taciturn and uncommunicative and her weak attempts at jokes fooled no one. The incident in the woods was of course to blame for that, but add to that all the worry and the tension accompanying their current mission and Merlin was surprised at how well she actually handled it. Had he been in her shoes he might have gone crazy by now.

'There's no one here,' Gwaine pointed out.

Alina glared at him. 'Now, where have I heard that before? Oh, hang on, would that be that one time just before we were attacked by more than a dozen slave traders?' she snapped. 'We don't rest until we crossed that bloody border. I won't feel at ease until we locked that awful bloody Cup away in the vaults of Camelot,' she added under her breath, so softly that only Merlin, riding next to her, could hear it.

'We'll have to get it there first,' Merlin muttered.

She grimaced. 'Don't I know,' she said sourly.

'It won't be long now,' Arthur said, trying to be diplomatic. 'We're approaching the border of Cenred's lands. Beyond the forest lies Camelot.'

'And food and water and a nice hot bath,' Gwaine finished.

If Merlin was him, he would have thought twice before he said something like that. Alina's patience was practically non-existent and he didn't need a direct connection to her emotions to know that she was about ready to explode after that comment. Oh, she liked Gwaine well enough. She appreciated his loyalty to his friends and his light-heartedness most of the time, but sometimes it would be nice if he had a better sense of when it was wise to keep his mouth shut. Merlin knew she didn't really mean to get angry, but sometimes Gwaine's shallow remarks and complaints, which were really jokes in disguise, did get pretty annoying. If one thing, Gwaine never knew when to stop.

Once again it was Arthur that saved the situation. He held up his hand, signalling them all to stop and to be quiet. 'Quiet,' he said in a hushed voice. 'Listen!'

They listened. There was nothing to hear, not even a bird singing. He told Arthur as much. 'I don't hear anything.'

'Exactly,' Arthur said.

'It's too quiet,' Alina whispered. 'Something's wrong.'

Gwaine moaned. 'Never satisfied, you city types,' he complained. 'It's too noisy, it's too quiet…'

The soldiers jumping out of the bushes, all of them wearing Cenred's symbols on their clothes and armour, soon set him right about that. And they were everywhere. It didn't take Merlin one second to realise that they had been walking right into a trap. He wondered how long those soldiers had been waiting here and how on earth they could not have noticed them.

But there was no time to find an answer to that question. 'Run!' Arthur shouted and that sounded like a terrific plan.

'Stay together!' Alina ordered, using her magic to clear the path in front of them. They all ran towards the opening in the circle as fast as their legs could carry them.

'Not good,' Arthur panted. 'Splitting up is better.'

She shook her head, looking slightly out of breath herself. 'Then they'll just take us down one by one. Together we stand a better chance.'

Merlin couldn't argue with that, plus the idea of being out on his own in a forest full of hostile soldiers didn't exactly sound tempting. Arthur didn't protest anymore either, so they followed Alina's advice and just ran, trying to outrun their pursuers.

The only thing they had temporarily forgotten was that no matter how fast you ran, you could never outrun an arrow. Merlin suddenly felt a burning pain in his left upper leg. The pain was so intense that he stumbled and fell, hitting his head against something hard.

'Ow!' he cried out. Was it just his imagination or did the trees just start moving? And what on earth did that darkness at the edges of his vision mean?

He could feel someone grabbing his bag away from him. His confused brain told him that this wasn't meant to happen, so he reached for it. 'Give it back!' he demanded with as much force as he could muster, which wasn't much. He was all too aware how weak he sounded.

His demand was met with laughter and then he felt something hit the side of his head with considerable force. As his consciousness started to escape him, stupidly he could only think: _there we go again…_

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**Thanks for reading again! Next chapter should be up Thursday and then Uther will be stubborn, Morgana will be surprised and Arthur will be a hothead. Until then! And in the meantime I really like to know what you think about this chapter.**


	82. Chapter 82

**Hello everyone! Here's chapter 82 already. And since I've been really busy writing this week, I'll also update Just Another Normal Day in an hour or so. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 82**

**Morgana**

Morgana had become more restless every day since Merlin and the rest of the group had broken contact with her. Well, strictly speaking it wasn't them that had broken the contact, but still. None of them had tried to talk to her since and she hadn't dared to try again after those first attempts, frightened of what she might find, or might not find.

'Don't be such a coward, Morgana!' she scolded herself, sitting on a chair that she had carefully positioned in front of her window. It was late in the evening and she found herself staring out into the courtyard again, hoping against hope that her friends would suddenly appear.

She knew why she had not tried to make contact again. She was not sure if she could handle talking to Merlin right now. After her discussion with Mordred and then that fierce argument with Morgause yesterday, she was too much of an emotional mess to be able to handle another emotional hot potato. She had been confused ever since the conversation with Mordred and right now she found herself wishing desperately for some peace and quiet. There hadn't exactly been such things since… She couldn't even remember, which was telling her exactly how bad things were.

'Morgana?' Gwen's voice disturbed her thoughts.

She forced her face into a smile. 'Gwen! I thought you had gone to bed.'

'I was going to,' the maidservant admitted. 'But then I saw there was still light in your room. You should get some rest, Morgana. Sitting here, worrying about them, is not going to bring them back any sooner.'

She sighed. Gwen was right of course. 'I know,' she said. 'Guess I just don't want to dream.'

Gwen frowned. 'I thought Alina's ring was keeping the nightmares away?'

She nodded. 'It does. Just not all of them.' She had discussed this with Alina some weeks ago. The Court Sorceress had told her that the ring kept away all the "normal" prophetic dreams, but that no magical object could ever keep away the most important warnings, the most pressing issues. No matter how many rings she had, those dreams were unstoppable.

And that, of course, was another reason why she was so worried, because her dreams had gradually become more disturbing over the last few weeks. They were full of men in another king's colours running through Camelot, killing people. In one of those dreams she had seen Morgause placing Uther's crown on Cenred's head, in another she had seen Arthur's execution. They were too awful to think about and therefore she had not mentioned them to Alina. And besides, not all her dreams came true.

'Have you spoken to any of them?' Gwen asked softly. As always, she seemed to know exactly what was on Morgana's mind.

Morgana shook her head. 'No.'

'Have you tried?' she insisted.

Morgana coloured slightly. 'I couldn't.' _Although not just for the reasons you're assuming._

She had hardly finished that thought when she heard Alina's voice inside her head. _Morgana?_

She froze into place. _Alina?_

_The one and only_. Her friend's mental voice sounded exhausted and tense, but very much alive.

_Are you all right?_ Morgana asked urgently.

_We're okay_, Alina reassured her. _Arthur's in the worst temper I have ever seen him in, Gwaine's downright annoying and Merlin's got a concussion again, but we'll live._

_Again? _Morgana effortlessly picked out the most important word. _What has happened, Alina?_

_The short version?_ Alina asked. She didn't wait for an answer, but just started to give her the report. Even for a mental voice she was talking almost too fast to follow, as if she wanted the truth out as soon as possible. _We were attacked by bandits, all the gentlemen were knocked out, I defeated them and then the Druids took us in. Gwaine and Arthur healed fine on their own, but Merlin needed some extra help from the Cup of Life, which we then took with us. But apparently Mordred has been busy chatting to Morgause, because Cenred's men knew exactly where to ambush us this morning. We lost the Cup, Morgana. They knocked Merlin out and took it from him before any of us could do anything about it._

Her first instinct was to ask how Merlin was, but if Alina was there she would take care of him. The loss of the Cup of Life was worse news at the moment. _What do we do now?_ she asked. It seemed the reasonable question to ask, with Alina knowing everything that was meant to happen. Besides, she had no idea.

_I'm not sure,_ the sorceress replied. _I know there is nothing we can't do to stop Morgause to take over Camelot now that she has the Cup. It will be impossible for us to retrieve it now. The best I could think of is evacuating the city, letting people live in small communities in the forest, lie low till we can think of something to kick Cenred and his bloody blonde accomplice out again. Oh, sorry, _she added when she realised that the woman she was talking about was Morgana's sister.

Morgana grimaced. _Don't be_, she said. _You have every right to talk like that. _She hesitated a moment before adding:_ I'm not even sure I see her as a friend anymore. She was here yesterday and we had a bit of an argument._

_I'm sorry_, Alina said in a compassionate voice. Morgana could tell she meant those words, even though she could not understand why.

_Like I said, don't be_, Morgana said curtly. It wasn't a snap, but only just. She just didn't want to talk about it, yet. So she forced herself to keep her attention firmly locked on Camelot's latest crisis. _So, do you want to evacuate?_

Alina gave a mental snort_. Unless you've got a better idea?_ There was an underlying tone of hopefulness to her voice.

Unfortunately Morgana had no such idea. _No, sorry._

Alina sighed, but Morgana could tell that she had already suspected as much. _Then I need you to go to Uther. Tell him that I told him to evacuate._

Morgana blinked a few times. _You want me to tell to Uther that he needs to leave?!_ That was a suicide mission, firstly because Uther didn't like it when people told him what he must do and secondly because there was no way he was going to like the reason that he needed to leave: because his son had lost the Cup. Oh, and speaking of that, she wasn't even supposed to know about the existence of that magical object.

_I know_, Alina said. _But right now we don't have many other options. I'm not sure we're going to make it back before all hell breaks loose, so I really need you to do this, Morgana. And I need you to do this right now. _She tried to make it sound as gentle as possible, but there was no mistaking the actual command.

Morgana had soon learned that when one of her big events happened, Alina went into full commander mode; she was focused, tense and bossy, and most definitely not in the mood to discuss her instructions. There was a crisis that needed to be dealt with and until it was dealt with, everyone needed to do exactly as she said. It was annoying sometimes, because sometimes they would all just like to know why they had to do something, but in the end Alina always got them out of trouble, which was the only reason why they put up with it.

She therefore didn't know why she found herself protesting. _Uther's going to kill me_, she pointed out.

She received a fierce mental glare. _Get your priorities sorted, will you? _the Court Sorceress snapped. _We are facing a national crisis here and you're afraid Uther will just shout at you for a few minutes? Get a freaking grip, Morgana!_

When she put it like that, it made her protests sound rather pathetic. _Will you…?_ she started to ask, before changing her mind. _Never mind._

_I'll stay in your head if that's what you want_, Alina said, understanding what she had been meaning to ask without her having to say it. _But do it now, Morgana. We're running out of time._

Morgana nodded and returned to reality, only to discover that Gwen was shaking her arm, talking to her with something close to panic in her voice. 'Morgana, are you all right?'

Morgana forced her face back into a smile. 'I'm fine. Alina just talked to me,' she reported. She really shouldn't be feeling relieved now, not at all. But it could not be helped. All of them were still alive. Merlin was alive! Nothing in the world, not even Uther's shouting, could dampen her spirits now.

**Alina**

It was quite some time ago since Alina had last really looked through someone else's eyes. She almost never did it, because it was highly disorientating, but sometimes needs must. And there was definitely a need here. Morgause would waste no time in creating the immortal army now that she had her hands on the Cup, which meant that they could not afford to waste any more time either.

'What's she doing?' Arthur said impatiently.

They were sitting by the campfire, letting Merlin take the necessary rest. This time the damage to his head hadn't been too bad and Alina had been quite capable of healing it herself. But he did need to get some rest after the ordeal and besides, none of them could summon up the energy to walk anywhere before they had rested.

'Waiting,' Alina reported. 'Uther has been called and so, apparently, has Connor.' She sighed. 'I just hope Morgana can be brave enough to stand her ground when it comes to it.'

Arthur snorted. 'Are we talking about the same Morgana? The one I know is not afraid of anyone.'

Alina shook her head. 'To a certain extent you're right. But there is one person alive that Morgana is absolutely terrified of, even if that person doesn't even know it. Uther.'

Arthur frowned. 'My father?'

She raised her eyebrows. 'Do we know any other Uthers?'

Now it was Arthur's turn to shake his head, disbelieving. 'It doesn't make any sense, Alina! Why would she be scared of him? He has done nothing to harm her!'

Alina gave him a little sad smile. 'It's not what he has done,' she explained. 'It's what she thinks he will do if he finds out about her magic. She's been fearing for her life ever since she learned that she had magic. Before I went away, knowing that she was not alone kept that fear at bay. But then she saw that Uther was prepared to kill me, someone close to him, for the simple fact of having magic. She was alone, scared out of her wits. She thought, and possibly still thinks, that Uther might want to do the same thing to her if he were ever to learn of her powers. And she's all on her own there, Arthur.'

Being so close to Morgana's thoughts allowed her a unique insight in her emotions as well. There was an inner trembling that was trying its hardest to show. Part of Morgana knew that he wasn't going to bite her head off, but there was an equally big part that irrationally thought he was going to see right through her, was going to see that she had magic and then have her executed. It was the first time since the time that she had been on Morgause's side that she was alone with him. Back then she had not been so afraid of him, but that was because she knew she was doing everything in her power to put an end to him. She had no such defence now. She was vulnerable now.

Alina was slightly worried about this. Arthur was right in a way: it was not like Morgana to be afraid of anyone. She sensed that there was more to this argument with Morgause than she had let on. Something had unsettled her and Alina wished that she knew what that was.

Arthur frowned. 'That fear, is that why she…?' He let his voice trail off.

'Yes,' she nodded.

The prince stared into the flames. 'I should have been there for her.'

She grabbed his hand and waited until he looked at her before she spoke. 'You weren't to know. You couldn't have.'

'But still…' Arthur insisted.

'No, no _what if_ games, Arthur,' she said decidedly. 'Believe me, I've been down that road and it's not a happy one. Don't do that to yourself. What's done is done and we need to deal with it.' She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. 'Morgana doesn't blame you. You shouldn't blame yourself.'

Those words succeeded in bringing back a hesitant smile to his face. 'You're an amazing woman, Alina. You know that?'

'I may have heard that before,' she teased.

Without warning his lips landed on hers. She wanted to protest, until she realised that they were the only ones awake right now. Merlin had been sleeping for at least an hour and Gwaine's snoring indicated that he had dozed off as well. So she surrendered to the kiss, treasuring every moment of it. They were doing this far too little, she thought, leaning closer to him.

_Ugh, could you stop doing that?_ Morgana's mental voice asked, sounding a bit disgusted.

Alina started giggling immediately. She had temporarily forgotten that she had linked her and Morgana's mind together.

_Do me a favour and don't forget it again_, Morgana requested.

'What's wrong?' Arthur asked.

'Morgana,' Alina chuckled. 'I had forgotten she was in my head.' She grinned at Arthur's shocked expression. 'And she's not very amused. I've got to focus now,' she added, checking Morgana's mind again. 'Uther has just arrived.'

She returned to Morgana's head, watching as Uther and her brother entered the council chambers. She could feel the young witch ball her hands into fists to stop them from trembling. Uther looked most displeased at being woken. Connor was still fully dressed, so Alina guessed he had not gone to bed yet.

'What is this all about, Morgana?' Uther demanded. Oh, that was not a good start. Both women knew that it spelt trouble when he used that voice.

_Come on, Morgana_, the young witch thought at herself. She straightened her back, lifted her chin and took a deep breath. 'I have just been contacted by the Lady Alina, my lord,' she informed him. Alina was impressed at how calm she sounded. Her voice betrayed nothing of her inner turmoil. 'She wished me to convey a message to you.'

Uther's eyes softened. 'That's wonderful news, Morgana,' he said. 'When does she say they will be back in Camelot?'

_Oh, that's tough luck_, Alina thought. _He's expecting good news._

Morgana swallowed. 'She's letting you know that they lost the object they were sent out to obtain,' she reported as fast as she could. 'It has fallen into Cenred's hands. Alina says that there is nothing we can do now to prevent king Cenred from taking Camelot and she strongly advises you to start evacuating the city as soon as possible.'

Alina mentally applauded for the way Morgana delivered her message. Without giving away that she knew everything about the Cup she had still managed to give Uther the information they needed him to have, and that despite the obvious fear that she held for him. Morgana, she pondered, was a remarkably strong woman. It was about time she started to see that.

Uther didn't take it well, as she already suspected. His eyes were blazing with fury. 'They lost it?' he thundered.

Morgana backed away almost automatically. 'So she says, my lord. She told me that they were ambushed by Cenred's men. She…' Alina could feel a flicker of hesitation, before she continued. 'She also said that Cenred knew exactly where they were and what they were carrying. It is highly possible that someone from Camelot passed that information on to him.'

Alina wasn't sure if she would have divulged that piece of information herself, but she didn't disapprove of it either. Maybe it would help Uther see that he really needed to evacuate the city while he still could.

It worked. Alina could tell he was still angry, but it was no longer directed at Morgana, for which both of them were eternally grateful. Uther was searching for something to say, but he was at a loss for words, and Connor used that opportunity to ask a question.

'My sister has told you this?' he asked.

Morgana nodded immediately. 'She has, my lord,' she replied.

'How long does she think we have until Cenred's army is upon us?' he questioned.

Uther had found his tongue again. 'You believe her?' he demanded of Connor.

Connor looked down at Uther. He was at least several inches taller than Camelot's king. 'I know my sister and I know how specific her knowledge is. I'm wise enough not to doubt her and you would do well to follow that example. I remember all too well what happened last time you chose not to believe her.' There was a barely concealed threat in those words and Alina knew that Uther had not missed it.

She frowned. The last thing they needed now was two kings bickering amongst themselves while they should be busy doing something about the current crisis. _Tell them to stop behaving like three year olds and get to work_, she thought at Morgana.

She bit her lip. _Do you think that wise?_

_Very wise_, she said decidedly_. Otherwise they'll be at it until the ending of the world. Please, do me a favour._

_You owe me_, she warned, before addressing the arguing kings. 'Alina wants me to say that she thinks you need to stop behaving like three year olds and get to work,' she repeated dutifully.

Uther's jaw dropped, but Connor started to laugh. 'My sister is with you right now, isn't she? No mistaking that choice of words.'

_Very funny_, Alina thought.

'She thinks you're very funny,' Morgana told him, causing him to laugh louder.

_Tell them to stop wasting everyone's time, including mine_, Alina pressed. _We will have two days, at most, and probably less. We need to get as many people to safety as possible_. Ugh, she hated this indirect talking. She much rather had been there in person, so she could give both men the best of her tongue-lashing. But she had never managed to learn that impressive whirlwind other sorcerers used to pop in and out of a room, something that bothered her enormously. She promised herself to start working at it as soon as she had some time to herself again.

Thankfully Morgana delivered that message in exactly the same words. She even got the tone right, so maybe this was going to work after all.

Uther's expression hardened. 'I won't abandon my kingdom,' he stated. Flat out refusal. Alina had been fearing something like that, but it didn't make it any easier to hear.

_Tell him he's a right royal imbecile_, Alina snapped. _Ask him if he happens to have a death wish._

_Oh no, I'm not repeating that!_ Morgana protested.

'What has she asked you to say?' Connor asked, recognising the signs of panic on Morgana's face.

Morgana repeated it in a whisper.

'I can't leave my kingdom. I will not be seen leaving my kingdom in the face of danger!' Uther bellowed.

Morgana backed away a few steps, but not in fear this time. For the first time in what must be years Alina sensed something that could very well be called respect. Morgana admired Uther's willingness to place himself in harm's way for his kingdom. It was perhaps for the first time ever that she saw something more in him than a tyrant king. This was one characteristic she was expecting in a king. And maybe, just maybe, he had more hidden qualities that she had yet to see. The fear she had felt for so long did not miraculously disappear, but it was lessened greatly, replaced by a newfound sense of respect and admiration. She still would not for the life of her trust him with her secret, but she would not turn against him either.

Alina felt a small smile forming on her face, despite the crisis and Uther's stubbornness. Maybe legend should just have its way on this matter. She would have to have faith that Morgana would keep Uther and Connor alive until they figured out a way to kick Morgause and Cenred out again.

_Look after them for me_, she whispered to Morgana. _Both of them_.

Morgana gave her a mental smile. _Will do_, she promised. _No harm will come to them while I still breathe._

Alina felt like pointing out that she should not be making promises she might not be able to hold, but she also felt that that might not be the most encouraging thing to say in the current situation. _I know_, she therefore said, after which she retreated from Morgana's mind. She would have to see what the future would bring. There was nothing else she could do.

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**That's it for today. The next chapter should be up Sunday and then there will be intruders in Camelot and quite a few secrets will be revealed. Until then!**


	83. Chapter 83

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 83**

**Arthur**

They were hiding away behind a low hill from where they could oversee the enormous army Cenred had managed to assemble. Arthur's heart nearly stopped at seeing the size of that army. Where on earth had Cenred found all those men? He had put that voice into words before he could stop himself.

'The promise of immortality must have had some allure,' Alina replied. The way she spoke the word _immortality_ you would think it was something particularly disgusting. 'If my guessing is right, Cenred will have told them they could have eternal life as long as they help him win this little war. And why would they say no? There are no real risks in it for them now that their blood is in the Cup of Life.'

'That must be one full Cup then, eh?' Gwaine asked. He was trying to sound cheerful, but the look in his eyes betrayed that he truly was worried.

'You bet,' Alina muttered. She didn't look up once, her gaze fixed on Camelot's doom.

'And you're sure my father is going to live?' Arthur pressed. He had not been happy when Alina had told him that she had trusted the lives of his father and her brother in the hands of such an unreliable ally as Morgana when there was an immortal army marching on Camelot with the single purpose of bringing down Camelot and its ruler. He had thrown a tantrum which Merlin had whispered to Gwaine was worthy of a three year old. In the end he had to accept the way things were going, because, as Alina had pointed out, there wasn't exactly a long list of other options. And he had grudgingly agreed that there was not much else to be done at the moment.

For the first time he got a real sense what it was like to be in Alina's shoes, to have knowledge of something terrible that's going to happen in the near future, yet being unable to stop it. Arthur was a man of action and not being able to do something, _anything _about this situation was killing him. He wondered how Alina did it, how she could present such a calm face to the world, how she managed to always come across as if she was completely in control of things, even when she wasn't.

Though lately her mask of calmness had been showing small cracks in it. Something had happened during the attack, the one where he had been lying around being unconscious doing nothing while she cleared up the mess, that had unsettled her enormously. Sensing that she was unlikely to discuss it with him, he had sent Merlin to her with the task to find out what she was hiding and then report back to him, but most of all to be a friend to her. Merlin had done just that, but he had also brought back a disturbing story about Alina having to kill a bandit that she somehow had managed to label as murder in her head. Merlin had explained that it had made her question how she was using magic and if that was acceptable. As long as she had not dealt with this matter, she was tense and moody.

At least she had started talking again, for which Arthur was grateful. More than anything her silence indicated that there was something seriously wrong. But ever since her chat with Morgana she had fallen back into her habit of explaining things to them without being asked to do so.

'I'm as sure as I can be,' she sighed, her eyes never leaving Cenred's troops. 'Legend says he'll live. I have no idea what stunts it's still going to pull on us, but as it's mostly right about the main issues, I think he will come out of this alive.' She was convincing him as well as herself, Arthur could tell that much.

'We need to find the Cup,' Merlin announced.

'Agreed,' Alina said. 'We just can't do that now, not with the battle still needing to be fought and lost.'

Even though Arthur knew there was no way that any normal army could ever stand against an immortal army like this, her words riled him. It sounded like she had already given up on Camelot. 'Do you hear yourself talking, Alina?' he demanded angrily. 'My father is in there and your brother as well. We should be trying to fight them, not sit here and wait for terrible things to happen.' He was already on his feet.

Merlin and Alina quickly pulled him down again, out of sight. 'Grow yourself a brain, will you?' Alina hissed. 'Going in there now won't solve a thing. On the contrary, if you go in there, there's every chance of getting yourself killed, and us with you. So unless that's what you want, I suggest you sit back down and do some thinking.'

'She's right, you know,' Gwaine said. 'Going in there is suicide.'

'Thanks for backing me up, Gwaine,' Alina said.

He gave her a small smile. 'Anytime, my lady.'

'But we need to go in there,' Arthur insisted. 'If only to know what's going on.' Alina may have the advantage of knowing everything already, but he didn't. And right now he even doubted her knowledge. She had as good as confessed that anything could happen now that Mordred was with the wrong side. And he couldn't stand not knowing. The waiting he could handle. He just couldn't deal with waiting whilst not knowing if his father was still alive. And maybe, although he hardly dared to admit it even to himself, he was worried for Morgana's sake as well.

So yes, he had to admit that she was most likely on their side. What Alina had told him about Morgana's fear for Uther had made him think. He had forced himself to look at this without his prejudices and after a long thinking, that took up most of the night, he had to arrive at the conclusion that he had been behaving like a fool lately. He grimaced. Alina was never to let him hear the end of that when she found out. Or maybe she already had. With that connection that she had to him there was no telling what she did and didn't know about him.

Alina didn't look like she thought that was the best idea she had ever heard, but in the end she nodded. 'When the battle has ended and only if we can get in unnoticed.'

'You're quite the bossy type, aren't you?' That was Gwaine of course.

_No, she's just trying to keep us all safe_, Arthur thought. _She has done so since the day she came to Camelot._

Alina looked like she wanted to throttle him, but Arthur distracted her. 'I know a way to get in,' he said.

Alina nodded. 'Then show us.'

**Morgana**

Morgana's arms were twisted painfully behind her back as Cenred's now immortal soldiers were marching her towards the throne room. She struggled to get loose, but it was useless. Her guards were too strong.

She knew that Alina had told her that there was no stopping the immortal army. There was no way she could win that fight. Nonetheless, when sir Leon had reported the arrival of a hostile army, she had ordered Gwen to don her armour and get her a good sword. Her maidservant had protested, pointed out that it was too dangerous, that there was no way she stood a chance, even with all her magical power. Morgana knew all that and yet she had gone. Because it went against everything she had ever learned to sit back and do nothing.

And she had been fighting her hardest, just as the knights of Camelot. She had recalled all her sessions on the training fields with Arthur and had those men not been made immortal by Morgause's evil magic, she might have even won a few fights. But when she ran them through, they would just shrug and carry on as if nothing had happened.

She had then started to use her magic. Consequences be damned, as she had once told Arthur years ago, there were bigger things at stake here than keeping her magic a secret. And surely if people had accepted Alina by now, they might do the same to her, who they had known since she was a little girl. Morgana had no idea where that sudden courage came from. Maybe it was because she knew that Morgause would betray her secret anyway once she had Camelot under her control. Then Morgana had much rather the people found out from her than from Camelot's invader.

Yes, sir Leon's eyes had widened in surprise once she had started to swing soldiers against walls, but he had very quickly adjusted to the situation. Morgana had taken a short moment to remember that this was the first spell she had ever learned and that she had used it to save them all from the troll.

In the end it had not made a difference of course. It just gave her the idea that it did. There had been too many soldiers. For every one she made flying through the air, five others were taking his place. She had been thrown against the cold stone floors and then her hands had been bound tightly. She vaguely recalled sir Leon calling her name out in a panicked voice, but it was hard to be sure with all the shouting and screaming going on around her.

And now she was being led, or maybe forced was a better word, to the throne room. She had no idea where Uther and Connor were and if they were still alive. She had no idea who lived and who had died and she had no idea what her own fate would be. But that was the very least of her worries now. She had lived too long with the knowledge that every day could be her last. It did not frighten her anymore, not as much as it had done anyway.

She briefly wondered if that was because she finally had a purpose in her life, a worthy cause. Morgause had always gone on and on about her cause, how it was worth fighting and even dying for. Morgana had never understood that feeling then and now she thought she knew why that was. Morgause's cause had never been her true cause. It was only when she had returned to the side of Camelot and its protectors that she had found hers.

The first thing she saw as she came into the familiar hall was Morgause, standing on the dais next to the throne, and Cenred, casually lounging, there was no other word for it, on the throne. This was wrong, all wrong. Maybe she had once wanted to help Cenred take that throne, but now she could see that he did not belong there at all. Her mind protested against the very sight of anyone other than Uther or Arthur sitting there.

Uther was in the room, she noticed next, and he was looking very much alive, which calmed her a little. The crown of Camelot was still on his head, but she had a feeling that would not be for long anymore. Connor was also present, restrained by four guards. Even though his hands were bound and the guards were holding him in a death grip, he was still struggling and his eyes predicted a slow and painful death for anyone who wronged him. Connor was like his sister in a lot of ways. They were both fighters.

'Morgana,' Morgause said in a voice that was supposed to be friendly. 'How good of you to join us.'

Morgana glared at her. 'I'd say you're welcome, but I'm afraid that would be a lie,' she replied in her iciest voice. She tried to see the kind sister in Morgause, but there was no trace of her to be found. There was only a cold woman with a burning hatred in her eyes. _That could have been me,_ was the thought that shot through her head. _That could have been me had Alina and Merlin not saved me from myself._

If she had not been convinced of the wrongness of her previous choices, than she was so now. She knew that she would never want to become like the woman who she once had known as her sister. Now Morgana wondered if the goodbye they had said a few days ago had also symbolised the end of their relationship as a family.

Morgause's smile was as false as any Morgana had ever seen. 'Come, come, sister.'

'Don't you dare call me sister!' Morgana snarled, looking up at her defiantly. 'Family doesn't do things like this to one another.'

Uther was whispering at her to calm down and she saw genuine fear for her well-being in his eyes. She had no idea if he had yet been informed of her magic, but she doubted it. 'She won't hurt me,' she whispered back, not knowing if that was the truth or not.

'Lady Morgana,' Cenred said, grinning. 'How good it is to see you once again, although I had hoped it would be in slightly more pleasant circumstances.'

He was trying to humiliate her, but she wouldn't let him. He could announce her treason to the court all he wanted, it didn't change anything and as soon as she got the chance, she would show all of them whose side she was really on.

Maybe it was her rage feeding her, or the adrenaline. Morgana didn't know what it was, only that it gave her the strength to be brave and look at her captors with nothing but loathing. _People do a lot of unexpected things in dangerous situations_, Alina had once told her. _Some turn out to the world's greatest cowards, some show a strength they would never have expected in themselves. I think you fall into the last category._

'Would that be the circumstance where you get the hell out of this kingdom and I get to visit your grave?' Morgana asked, one eyebrow raised.

He only laughed. 'My Lady Morgana, I had no idea you could hold such anger. How like your father you are in that respect.'

She scowled at him. 'I seriously doubt my father ever kept the company of scum like you. Do not pretend you knew him.' _What on earth is he playing at?_

He laughed again and Morgana could tell that he was truly amused this time. 'Oh, I am sorry,' he said, not sounding sorry at all. 'Did you think I was talking about Lord Gorlois? Don't answer that question. I can see that you do. No, my dearest Lady Morgana, I am talking about your biological father.'

_What on earth…?_ Morgana had no idea what to do anymore. She was thoroughly confused. _What would Alina do?_ she wondered. That question had been going round in her head for so many times since the Court Sorceress had left, that it sprang to mind almost effortlessly. It helped her to get a grip on herself again. 'I suppose it's expected of me to ask what the hell you're talking about,' Morgana said with as much contempt as she could muster. 'But I'm not. If you want to tell me lies, you'll do so anyway.' She hoped it sounded as confident and dismissive as Alina could make those words sound, but she had the uncomfortable feeling she had failed spectacularly.

'Lies, my Lady Morgana?' Cenred asked in mock indignation. 'No, not lies. Don't tell me Uther never told you?'

_Told me what?_ The words were dying to be asked, but she kept her mouth firmly shut. _Don't play this game by his rules, _she reminded herself_. He wants you to ask. Do. _Not_. Give. Him. The. Satisfaction!_ So instead she just kept her eyes on his face, her expression one of utter disgust, which wasn't too hard to maintain. The sight of this barbaric king on the throne of Camelot was more than enough.

Cenred studied her face. 'Oh dear, you really don't know, do you? Shame on you, Uther. But I am surprised at you. How could you keep such important knowledge from your own daughter? Do you not care for her at all?'

Morgana's brain wanted to do nothing more than to slip back into confusion, because that was safer than dealing with what Cenred had just said and what she instinctively felt was the truth. She had lied long enough to know exactly when someone else did. But she would not allow herself to use the safer road; she needed her wits about her, now more than ever. She wouldn't allow herself a quick glance at Uther either, but that she could not stop herself from doing. In his eyes she saw everything she needed to see: guilt, shame and sadness. No, Cenred had not lied.

If they had been alone when she had found this out, she would have yelled, shouted, kicked and made one hell of a scene, but they were not alone. They were in a hall full of enemies who would like nothing better than her turning on the man who was apparently her father, and she had promised herself that she would not give them the satisfaction of doing exactly what they wanted her to do. So she forced herself to think clearly.

One day, during one of her sessions on the training fields, Arthur had been trying to drill some discipline into the heads of his knights. He had them standing in a row while walking to and fro in front of them: 'In a fight, never play to your enemy's rules. If he wants you to go left, go right. If he wants you to go right, go left. If you let him have what he wants, you as good as lost the fight. Remember that!' Normally she didn't pay attention to Arthur's speeches, let alone that she remembered them. But this one had remained in her memory and she was ever so glad that it had.

So she stored away all her anger, disappointment and questions for another moment and prepared to play this game her way. She straightened her back, lifted her chin and looked Cenred and Morgause straight in their faces without so much as batting her eyelids. 'Congratulations,' she said coolly. 'You have just successfully ascertained that I will never stop protecting him. That is what one does when it comes to family, you see. But no doubt this is exactly what you wanted to achieve.' She even managed a right evil looking smirk as she delivered those words. It felt like a small victory when their expressions turned from pleased to shocked and she felt proud she had managed to achieve this.

Her victory was short-lived. Cenred looked at Uther. 'She is spirited, isn't she?' he said in a voice like he was simply discussing the weather. 'It must be because of her magical powers, because I can't remember either you or Vivienne being so fierce, can you, Uther?'

Morgana froze. It wasn't the idea that he was going to spill the beans about her magic, or what she had done with it for that matter. She felt the panic pulling at her and she desperately fought to remain in control of herself.

_Think, Morgana, think!_ she told herself. _What would Alina do?_

It was if that sentence shook her awake. _Are you a witch or not?_ Alina's voice was as real in her mind as if she were standing right next to her. _Then act like one!_

Of course, she still had her magic and with that no longer a secret, there were some new possibilities open to her. It was harder to do now that she had no longer the use of her hands, but thankfully Alina and her had been spending some time practising magic using only the power of their minds.

She looked at the throne and whispered a spell. She could feel Uther's eyes on her, but she forced herself to ignore him for now, instead focusing with all her being on getting her magic to do what she wanted.

She couldn't suppress a triumphant smile when the throne suddenly toppled over, literally swinging Cenred out of it, causing him to land face first on the stone floor. That was symbolic as well as necessary. She had just told him in less than subtle terms that the kingdom rejected his rule. Hopefully he wasn't too thick to get the message. But even if he wouldn't, she knew that Morgause would understood.

For a moment everyone was distracted as Cenred swore loudly and Morgause hastened to help him and his new precious throne up again. Morgana used that time to glance at Uther. She didn't know what she had expected to see there, but loathing for her would be the very least. Instead she found him nodding at her with something that came remarkably close to appreciation. Thankfully he understood the game she was playing. United they might just see this through, divided they would definitely fall.

Morgause used magic to set the throne right again and then glared at father and daughter.

'It would seem my daughter has told you everything I could possibly have to say to that,' Uther said in as cool a voice as Morgana had used.

Morgana had spent enough time with Morgause to know that her patience had run out. Her gloating had gotten her nothing and her attempts to turn them against each other seemed to have backfired spectacularly. She would want to put an end to this now.

And indeed she came forward, removing the crown from Uther's head. 'I don't think you'll be needing this anymore,' she said triumphantly.

'This is unlawful!' Uther shouted. 'You have no right to the throne!'

Morgause smirked. 'No. If your daughter had known what was good for her, she might have been crowned today. As it is, we had to settle for someone else.'

Cenred smirked too. 'I might need to explain the rules to you, Uther,' he said. 'When one king loses a war and his kingdom, he loses his crown to the triumphing king, you see. The losing king would be you, I think.' He made himself comfortable on Camelot's throne as Morgause placed the crown on his head.

'Long live the king!' Morgause cheered, followed by all the immortal soldiers in the hall.

Someone less determined than Morgana might have felt like giving up, now that they had lost so completely. But the sight of Cenred with Uther's crown on his head, seated on a throne that so obviously wasn't his, set her teeth on edge and made her want to do nothing rather than kick him out. To think that she had once actively strived for him to be where he was now, made her want to throw up. She must have been out of her mind!

Now she had gotten her wish, she thought bitterly. How often had she not heard to be careful with what she wished for. She now knew the truth of that saying. She hated feeling so powerless, feeling like there was absolutely nothing she could do.

No, there was _something _she could do. She waited until the cheering had died down and she was sure everyone could hear her. Then she looked Morgause right in the eyes. 'You know, Morgause,' she started, trying to sound as sure of herself as the Court Sorceress always did. 'You can create as many immortal armies as you like and you can crown as may barbaric men as you choose, but as long as Emrys and the Once and Future King are still running free, you will never have won. And you will lose, know that, because by taking me and my father you have just made sure that they won't rest until you're gone. And by taking Alina's brother, you have made a fearsome enemy of her as well.' Her face lit up in a happy, knowing smile. 'Your rule will fail, Morgause, and your king will fall, sooner rather than later. You can't win against the most powerful warlock to ever live and the sorceress who knows the future. Not all your tricks will keep you alive when they come.'

Morgause's eyes were blazing with fury and her angry shriek would normally have chilled Morgana to the bone. But when her former sister's spell knocked the air out of her and she was sent flying backwards, her back crashing hard against the floor, she felt truly the victor.

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**Next time Uther and Morgana are going to have to talk and the rest of our main characters are going to do some planning. I'm only afraid you will have to wait for that for a while. It would seem that real life also has some kind of claim on my time, which means I will be able to update in a week and a half at earliest. I'm updating Just Another Normal Day today as well and then I'll have to spend some time on other very important matters. In the meantime I do love to hear your thoughts about this chapter, though.**


	84. Chapter 84

**Hello dear readers. I have kept you waiting for far too long, but here's the new chapter! Fortunately real life is allowing me time to write again, so I will go back to the normal update schedule from now on. Enjoy reading and please tell me what you think.**

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**Chapter 84**

**Morgana**

The first thing Morgana noticed as she regained consciousness was that she was lying on a hard floor. Pieces of stone stung in her back and neck. Her body ached all over.

'Ow,' she moaned.

'Morgana?' a worried voice asked. 'Morgana, are you awake? Can you hear me?'

'Yes,' she replied, trying to remember how to open her eyes again. She blinked against the light, not that there was much where she was. It didn't take her long to figure out that she was in the dungeons.

She tried to sit up and immediately regretted that as a flash of pain went through her skull. 'Ow!' she exclaimed.

'Here, let me help.' Strong arms lifted her up and helped her into a sitting position against the nearest wall.

'Thank you,' she said, looking up at her helper. She was somewhat surprised to see Uther's face. _My father's face_, a little voice in the back of her head supplied helpfully. 'What…?' There were so many questions in her head that she could not decide on what she was supposed to ask first.

Uther settled for practical. 'They had us locked up here a day ago. You have been unconscious ever since. You shouted at Morgause…' There was some admiration there if she was not mistaken.

'I remember,' she said, rubbing her neck. And it had been worth it. She regretted the aches all over her body, but it had been worth it. And the words had been true. If she knew her friends at all, they were not going to let them rot away in prison. 'What about Connor? The knights?'

He shook his head. 'I don't know.' He handed her a piece of dry bread. 'Eat, Morgana. You need to keep your strength up.'

She took it from him and only then noticed the chains around her wrists. And her heart stopped. Those were no ordinary chains. 'No,' she whispered, going all cold inside. 'No.' She tried to bite back the tears, but they escaped nonetheless.

'Morgana?' Uther's voice had a worrying edge to it again. 'Morgana, are you unwell?'

'The chains,' she whispered.

'What is the matter with these chains?' Uther asked, not understanding what this was all about.

She ignored him long enough, held out her hand before her and whispered '_Forbærnan_'. The flame that should have appeared in her hand was nowhere to be seen and her latest desperate remains of hope went down the drain.

Uther's hand took her shoulder. 'Morgana?'

She hesitated for a second, but the cat was already out of the bag, so she might as well tell him what was wrong. 'My magic,' she said, all too aware of how panicked she sounded. 'These chains, they are enchanted so that I can't use it.' It took all the willpower she had not to cry, or scream, or do both those things. The panic was trying to pull her under again and she felt like drowning. Her courage of the previous day had abandoned her completely. She was powerless. Someone, she suspected Morgause, had put these chains on her, effectively ruining every chance she had of getting them out of here, or do anything at all for that matter.

The panic showed itself in a visible trembling over which she had no control at all. She had been afraid of her magic once, but since she had accepted it, it had become an essential part of her. It made her who she was and now that part of her had been locked away, out of her reach. This fear was even worse than the fear she had once held for Uther.

She felt his hands gripping her shoulders, trying to steady her. 'Morgana? _Morgana_! Breathe!'

She hadn't noticed that she had started to hyperventilate, but now that he said it, she could feel her lungs screaming for air, her surroundings moving around her. She forced herself to calm down and take deep breaths. Uther hesitated for a moment, but then put his arms around her, comforting her while she cried. Morgana could hardly remember the last time someone held her like that, but she thought maybe it might have been when her father, correction, the man she had believed to be her father was still alive.

That realisation helped her in calming down. There was no one here with them and it was about time Uther explained some things to her. So she wriggled out of his embrace and looked him in the eye. 'Why?' she asked bluntly. 'Why did you never tell me?'

He at least had the decency to look ashamed of himself. 'I'm sorry, Morgana.'

She briefly noted that this must be the first time she ever heard the great Uther Pendragon apologise, but then the rage took over. 'You're sorry?' she echoed, way too loud. 'I am your daughter, your flesh and blood! How could you keep that knowledge from me? How _dare_ you keep that knowledge from me?'

Now she had succeeded in angering him. Uther's temper had always been treacherous and the rage flared up so quickly she had barely the time to brace herself. 'How could I keep the shame of being an illegitimate child from you, you mean! I protected you, Morgana!'

'Protected yourself, you mean,' Morgana shot back, even as her mind urged her to listen to what he was saying. What if he was telling the truth? What if she was mistaken about him? She thought there was some genuine concern hidden behind the obvious anger in his eyes and voice.

Once, in what felt like ages ago, Alina and her had been talking in Alina's room and one way or the other, the conversation had turned towards feelings and Morgana's bitter comment that Pendragons were unable to feel anything at all. Alina had just laughed. 'No, you're wrong,' she had said softly. 'Pendragons do definitely feel. They're just very bad at expressing those feelings, or even admitting that they have them.'

Morgana remembered herself snorting dismissively. 'If that's the case, then how do you know?'

'Well, for one, I have a direct access to Arthur's emotions,' she started. 'But I'm also good at observing people. And you know, I have noticed that when Arthur feels strongly about something or someone, he doesn't say it, but he acts on it.'

'That's why he kisses you so much, you mean?' Morgana teased.

'Yes, actually,' Alina replied seriously. 'And that is because he doesn't know how to say what he feels, so he shows it. Only for those watching it is a little less easy to decipher the meaning.'

'Be that as it may for Arthur, I don't believe it about Uther,' Morgana had insisted.

Alina shook her head. 'Wrong again,' she told her friend. 'I have seen him. When you were away, he was not going to stop searching for you, even if it cost him his kingdom and it took him the rest of his life. And when your powers were developing and he thought that someone was trying to harm you?'

'There was no such person,' Morgana felt obliged to point out.

'I know that,' Alina said patiently. 'But that is not the point. The point is that he thought that there was and he went into full protect-Morgana-mode straight away, not resting until he had the culprit. He may have gone about it in all the wrong ways, but he did it for all the right reasons. He cares for you, Morgana. And for Arthur. There's precious little else that he cares for in this world. He just has some difficulty showing what he feels, is all.'

The meaning of those words only started to dawn on her now. Back then she had quickly dismissed them as a vain but well-meant attempt of Alina's to lessen her anger towards Uther. Now she wondered if the Court Sorceress had not been far more observant than she had given her credit for. What if Uther had only kept this information from her in order to protect her from knowing that she wasn't Gorlois's daughter, but his?

Before she could even start to seriously consider this, her father demanded her attention again. He had not noticed her moment of realisation at all and he was still angry. 'You have no idea what it is you're talking about!' he fumed.

_Give him the benefit of the doubt_, the voice in the back of her head pleaded. It annoyed Morgana that this voice preferred to speak with Alina's words and intonation, but she listened to it nonetheless. After all, they were locked up here and arguing would get them nowhere. 'Maybe I don't,' she admitted.

That effectively shut him up. Morgana admitting she was wrong was at least as rare as Uther apologising.

She went on quickly. 'Don't think I like this,' she warned him. 'I still believe you should have told me sooner.' There, that took the edge of her apology, making it acceptable to her. 'But us shouting at one another is only what Morgause wants. We can't let her win. By arguing we'll give her exactly what she wants.'

Uther sat down against the nearest wall. 'It doesn't matter. Not even Alina can take on immortal soldiers.'

'I wouldn't put it past her,' Morgana muttered.

She remembered Alina smiling and squeezing her hand the morning that she left. It had been before they had gone outside to meet up with the men and Morgana had expressed her concerns. 'Don't worry too much, will you?' the young sorceress had asked. 'Even when everything goes as wrong as wrong goes, in the end everything _will_ be fine, even if you're tired of hearing it.'

'She won't be doing it alone, anyway,' she added when Uther gave her a blank face.

Some comprehension dawned on his face. 'You mentioned someone called Emrys and the Once and Future King to Morgause.'

She sat down as well, glad for the changing of the subject, and nodded. 'Do you know the prophecies?' she asked.

'They're nonsense,' Uther said. 'Am I supposed to believe that a great king will arise with the help of a sorcerer to bring back magic to the land?' He snorted in anger, but at least he was aware of the ancient prophecies, although Morgana could not for the life of her guess how. As far as she knew he hated all magic and things related to magic. 'Cenred will never be a great king.'

Morgana couldn't help but smiling as she realised he had misunderstood her. 'Cenred won't,' she agreed. 'But Arthur will.'

Uther's eyes widened as he grasped the meaning of what she was really saying. 'Arthur is…'

'The Once and Future King,' she nodded.

Uther's eyes narrowed in suspicion. 'What about this Emrys?'

'That is not my secret to tell,' she said curtly.

'You're keeping secrets from me,' Uther said. The accusing tone in his voice was unmistakable.

'Is that the pot calling the kettle black?' she snapped, her temper rising again. 'Doesn't it suffice to know that he is on our side and has always been? Do something you apparently never have done in your life and trust someone with magic. Emrys will get us out. I know.'

Uther was not convinced. 'How do you know, Morgana?' She noticed that he didn't mention the fact that she herself had magic. She guessed he was trying to ignore that fact as it was in all likeliness too painful to him to ponder that he had fathered a child with magic when he despised it so much himself. He only trusted Alina because she had given him too much proof to ignore that she was not evil. Other than that, Uther still hated magic with a passion.

'I just know,' she replied_. Come on, Merlin. Get us out of here_.

**Alina**

Alina could swear that the sound of her heartbeat could have deafened someone at the other side of the castle, but fortunately for her Cenred's guards walked past her without as much as glancing in her direction. She pressed her back against the wall for good measure, but she could have saved herself the trouble; the guards were only looking at the path in front of them and not at her.

She really needed a disguise, she decided. She was too easily recognised dressed like this and she had to admit that her long blonde hair, although very beautiful, stood out too much as well. If she wanted to do some investigating around here, she needed to change.

A day had gone by since their small group had witnessed Cenred's illegal coronation from a hidden window high up in the wall in the throne room. Arthur had almost flown off the handle there and then and it had taken Gwaine's strength and her silencing spell to stop him from running into the room demanding his father and sister's immediate release.

They had been forced to drag him away from the scene into an empty room, trying to explain to him why it would be wiser for all of them to get the hell out of Camelot as soon as they possibly could. Arthur was very much opposed to leaving his father in the hands of those monsters and, after seeing Morgana being injured for standing up to Morgause, he wanted to do nothing more than storm down to the dungeons to rescue both Uther and Morgana. It had taken Merlin's remark of said dungeons being guarded by immortal guards to make him stop and think.

'But we can't leave them here!' he had protested.

Alina grimaced. 'I don't like this any more than you do,' she replied. 'But at the moment there's nothing we can do for them. We need more information first. Barging in like reckless fools will result in nothing but getting all of us killed.'

'Then we gather that information,' Arthur insisted. She could feel his impatience and worry pulsing through their connection, made ten times worse by her own restlessness and sense of failure.

'You gather absolutely nothing,' she snapped. 'You get out of this place this very minute.'

'I will do no such thing!' the prince exclaimed, earning him his second silencing spell of the day. The last thing they needed right now was a bunch of immortal guards who felt the urgent need to investigate a shouting in a supposedly empty storage room.

'Listen to me, Arthur,' she pleaded. 'No, listen,' she insisted when he glared at her. 'You're a good warrior, but your sword's no use against these men. And if they see you, they'll kill you. You're heir to the throne, which means that you _must_ stay alive and out of those dungeons. Get out of Camelot, find a place to hide until the time that we can kick them out.'

She lifted the spell and Arthur took immediate advantage of that, eyeing her warily as he talked to her. 'And what's your plan, Alina? You said that I had to run, implying that you're not planning on joining me.'

He really was quick. He had caught on faster than she had expected. 'I'm staying here for a while, find out what I can, try to maybe even free some of the prisoners. I've got my magic. I should be safe.'

'I should stay with you then,' Merlin offered immediately, with Arthur nodding his approval.

She shook her head. 'No, your job is to keep Arthur safe. I can manage on my own. Make sure you find Gaius before you leave, though. The current climate might not be so good for his health. And try to contact Lancelot. We're going to need every sword we can get and Lancelot's a fine swordsman, or so I've heard.'

Arthur didn't look very pleased with the idea. 'I'm not leaving you alone!' he protested.

She gave him her run-and-hide look. 'Contrary to popular belief, I am actually capable of looking after myself. I'll re-join you in three days' time. If I'm not back then, assume I'm either dead or taken prisoner.'

'I don't like it,' he repeated, the reason for that dislike unspoken, but all too obvious in his eyes.

'Stop worrying,' she told him. 'I'll be fine.'

And she was. She had managed an entire twenty-four hours of staying in Camelot without anyone seeing her. She worked from the shadows, observing rather than trying to do something. She had learned that the dungeons were too heavily guarded for her to get in and the Cup was also under twenty-four hour guard. There were twenty men outside the room alone and at least twice that number in the room itself. The chances of getting in unseen and emptying the Cup of its contents were absolutely non-existent.

She needed another plan. If she remembered correctly, in the original legend Gwen had managed to obtain the key to the dungeons to free sir Leon, but since the kind serving girl was not in any way close to Morgause, she doubted that was going to happen now. But not all was lost, she thought with a smirk that closely resembled Morgause's most evil smile. There were more ways to skin a cat and it was child's play to create a key with magic, especially when she knew exactly what locks and keys she was dealing with.

The only problem in that plan was that she could not possibly take said key to the dungeons herself. Even if she was in disguise, they would know she was not one of them. No, she needed Gwen for this, but to find her, Alina needed to move through the castle a whole lot faster than she currently could. When in Rome, do as the Romans, she told herself, but to do that, she needed to get a "Roman" on his own first.

She peeked out of the alcove she was hiding in at the moment. There was one guard in the corridor, walking towards her, his gaze fixed on the floor. He didn't see her and she made sure she was out of sight again before he could look up.

This was a stroke of luck. Guards had the annoying habit to walk in small groups, making it almost impossible to take a single one out. This one was the obvious exception to the rule.

She mentally prepared herself to grab him as soon as he passed her little hide-out, going over her plan one last time to make sure she still remembered everything. She tensed in anticipation as the footsteps drew nearer.

There he was. She muttered a spell to make him trip and then, when he fell face first on the hard stone floor, she quickly dragged him into her hiding place, putting a silencing spell on him to prevent him from yelling a warning to the rest of Cenred's merry men on top of his lungs.

'Sorry about that,' she told him in a very insincere voice as she added a spell that would make it impossible for him to move. 'I'd have asked nicely, but I figured you might have run me through before I had finished the question.' She kicked the door to the empty room she had chosen open and locked it again behind them. It wouldn't do to get seen now.

If looks could kill she would have dropped dead on the spot. She smirked again as she realised that these guys may be incapable of dying at the moment, but that nothing prevented them from being affected by her spells. That was good to know for when they would try to take Camelot back.

'As it happens, I have some need of your clothes,' she informed him, as she undressed him, leaving him in nothing more than his underwear. 'And I'm afraid you're going to have to stay here for a little longer. I can't take the risk of you going to tell your superior of my presence in the castle, you see.'

She tied him up and then, for good measure, tied him tightly to the central column in the room. It would probably not be necessary. Her spells would hold for at least another day, but she couldn't risk to be anything but careful now. Better safe than sorry. She had learned that lesson long ago.

Ten minutes later she emerged from the room again, walking through the castle as if she had every right to do so. She had no idea what exactly the point was in covering one's face almost entirely, but for once she was glad that was the standard policy in Cenred's army. It enabled her to move through the castle without being looked at twice. She avoided talking to people and they didn't feel the need to talk to her. The place was swarming with Cenred's men and one was hardly noticed. She could have been invisible for all the attention people gave her.

She didn't need to search for Gwen long. Morgana's maidservant was where she always was at this time of day: in Morgana's room, dusting the furniture. She had not seen Alina come in, for which she was grateful. So she went in and locked the door, casting a spell to make sure nobody on the outside could hear them.

'Gwen,' she called softly.

Guinevere spun around, startled, staring at her in fear. 'What are you doing…,' she started, before seeing who it was. 'My lady!'

'Hush!' Alina told her. 'I don't want anyone knowing I'm back.'

'Of course not,' Gwen agreed, accepting the new situation faster than Alina had expected. 'I'm sorry, my lady, I had no idea…'

'It's all right,' Alina assured her. 'Come, sit down. I have a favour to ask of you.'

'Anything,' the serving girl said immediately. 'You're here to save Morgana and the king, aren't you?'

Alina nodded, glad that her friend understood so quickly. 'I'm trying. But I can't go down there. I'm too easily recognised.'

Gwen bit her lip. 'I can get there,' she said. 'I'm asked to bring food to the prisoners anyway. But we don't have any keys and I can't get close enough to either Cenred or Morgause to get them.'

Alina's face split into a smile that seemed an exact copy of Merlin's. She took the set of keys that she had magically created from her pockets, showing them to a very surprised maidservant. 'Fortunately I have managed to remedy that problem.'

* * *

**Next time we're going to see a medieval kind of prison break and Merlin has an interesting dream. That chapter should be up Sunday, so until then! Please let me know what you think in the meantime. **


	85. Chapter 85

**Chapter 85**

**Morgana**

Time passed slowly in the dungeons, allowing Morgana all too much time to think about things she didn't want to think about, like the chains around her wrists, the fact that she was Uther's daughter or that he now knew about her magic.

It was as if he had read her mind. 'How could you, Morgana?' he asked. He didn't sound really angry. If anything, he sounded exhausted.

'How could I do what?' she asked, not meeting his eyes.

She still wanted to yell at him for not telling her sooner about her being his daughter, but she was wise enough to realise that that would gain her nothing. The past was already done and not all the magic in the world could turn back time itself. She had to learn to live with this and use her energy on changing things she actually could do something about. That was the sensible thing to do, after all. That didn't mean, however, that the anger and hurt weren't there.

'Practise magic,' Uther clarified. She noted the disappointment in his voice.

She laughed without joy. 'Ha, do you think I chose to practise it?' she demanded. 'Do you think I would willingly choose a path in life which would have me living in fear every single day?' She couldn't believe how thick he was sometimes. But then, Arthur had once accused his father, their father, of no longer listening to reason once he heard the word magic. He had been right, she realised once again. Uther was utterly blind to reason the second magic was involved. 'I was born with these powers,' she continued in a bitter voice. 'They started developing a few years ago. I didn't do anything to make that happen.' She glared at the king. 'Yet you would have executed me for something I had absolutely no control over.' She couldn't keep quiet. The injustice of it all made her want to finally confront him.

He looked at her, his expression sad. 'I would never have killed you, Morgana.' He sounded sincere, but they both knew that there was no knowing what he would or wouldn't have done if he had received this information before they had ended up in this dirty dungeon. He had been all too quick to sentence Alina to death when he had learned about her powers and Morgana knew that they both remembered this in that very moment.

'That's what you're saying now,' she pointed out.

'Yes,' he said.

She grimaced. 'Now it will be Morgause killing us.' What irony, she thought. The woman she had once run to for protection would be the one to end her life, while the man she had feared for so long would be executed alongside her. If this really was destiny, then it had a very morbid sense of humour.

She stopped that thought as soon as she realised what it was that she was thinking. She would not give up hope. Alina and Merlin going to get them out. Everything will be fine, Alina had assured her. She must not give up hope.

But it was hard in here, locked up in a cell with Uther, all kinds of unpleasant truths hanging between them and her magic literally locked away. It took all her efforts not to scream or do something equally stupid. She may not want to kill Uther anymore, but she had no desire to be anywhere near him for an extended period of time. Well, at least one good thing would come from this, she thought wryly. There was no way she would be able to scream at Merlin when they met again. She had used all her anger on Morgause and Uther. There was nothing left to use on Merlin.

So yes, she still didn't like the fact that he had kept his true identity from her and it still hurt that he had not trusted her enough to tell her, but her world had come crumbling down since then and she found that there were more pressing things, more worthy objects to direct her anger at, like the crazy woman that had put these wretched chains on her, for example. Morgause had stopped being her sister the moment she had done that terrible thing to her, taking the only thing that was more precious to her than her friends and freedom: her magic.

'Do you hate me, Morgana?' Uther asked.

'Yes,' she said without hesitation. 'Yes, I do.' His face fell, but now that she was finally talking, there was no stopping it. The words rolled out of her mouth unchecked and she was almost surprised at what she was saying. 'You have killed so many people for absolutely no reason at all, except that they had been so stupid as to have some magic. And why? Do we ever get to know why you did all those terrible things? I would have been killed for having magic, even though I never asked for it.'

'I wouldn't have, Morgana,' he said again.

He glared at him. 'What is it you said once? The law stands or this kingdom falls.' She threw his words back in his face. 'You proved that when you sentenced Alina to die for saving an innocent child.'

'She's not dead,' he pointed out.

'So, should I go escape and go into exile for two years first?' she inquired sarcastically.

She had triggered his rage again. She could see it growing in his eyes. It had scared her as a child and it had scared her even more when she had found out that she had magic. But now, with him being chained up in his own dungeons, his anger no longer felt threatening to her. He couldn't act on it after all. Not anymore.

She was saved from hearing his lecture by a voice outside their cell. 'I bring food and water for the prisoners,' a female voice said.

There was a short silence. Morgana could all too easily imagine the guards staring at the servant, an unyielding look on their faces. It would seem that they had lost all their manners and willingness to talk along with their mortality, indicating just how dark the magic Morgause had used actually was. These men had not really become immortal; they had become invincible shadows of their former selves, bound to the caster of the spell by the darkest of magic. Even with her own magic outside her reach she could still sense the magic around Cenred's men and it was dark, twisted and unnatural, the kind of magic that would cause shivers to go down your spine.

'The king has instructed me personally to give the prisoners food and water,' the voice insisted and now Morgana recognised it as Gwen's. Maybe there was hope after all. Gwen could get a message to her friends. She wasn't capable of doing so anymore with these blasted chains on her wrists.

The door swung open and Gwen came in, looking very nervous, holding two plates in her hands. She handed the first to Uther and then knelt down to hand the other to Morgana.

'Are you all right, Gwen?' Morgana whispered. Heaven knew it could not have been easy for her since Cenred had conquered Camelot. She hoped her friend had made it through unharmed till now.

'I'm fine, my lady.' Gwen's words were accompanied with a small but sincere smile. 'Are you?'

'Fine,' Morgana replied curtly. 'But these chains, they block my magic.'

A worried expression flashed across her servant's face.

'No talking!' the guard still standing in the door snapped at them.

_You're setting that example yourself_, Morgana thought sarcastically, glaring at him, without effect. He remained completely unmoved.

'Look inside the bread,' Gwen whispered quickly, barely audible, before she got up and almost fled out of the cell. The door was slammed shut behind her.

'What did she say?' Uther demanded.

Morgana didn't bother giving an answer. She looked at the door, but the guard had moved on, probably to keep an eye on Gwen, giving her the opportunity to follow up on Gwen's mysterious advise. Carefully she tore the bread open.

Two things fell into her lap as she gently shook it: a key and a small folded piece of paper. Her heart stopped. Gwen had gotten hold of a key! She could get out of this place after all.

Her hands were slightly trembling when she took a look at the message on the paper, scribbled in a neat, small handwriting that Morgana recognised instantly as Alina's: _Meet me tonight at midnight at the secret entrance. I'll make sure you won't be bothered. I have enchanted the key to fit in every lock you stick it into. See you later! A._

Morgana swallowed the lump in her throat, tears of relief in her eyes. Maybe her friend had been right. Maybe everything would turn out all right in the end.

**Merlin**

Merlin was used to uncomfortable beds, but this was ten times worse than what he was used to, although, to be quite honest, he wasn't even sure that a blanket on the rocks counted as a bed. He had tried to get some sleep. In fact, Arthur had ordered him to get some sleep. But here he was, with too many thoughts going around in his head.

He sat up and found himself something to eat, only then noting that Arthur hadn't moved an inch all day. Merlin frowned. To be quite honest, Arthur's behaviour was worrying him. The prince hadn't been himself since Cenred and Morgause had revealed that Morgana was actually his half-sister. And then Alina had elected to stay behind to see what she could do, so now he was fretting over her safety as well. And all this worrying made him pretty bad company.

He walked over to Arthur, handing him his own plate.

'I'm not hungry, Merlin,' the prince growled.

'You haven't eaten anything since…' His voice trailed off, because he was unsure how to phrase this best without worrying Arthur even more. He was bad enough as it was.

Arthur snorted. 'I'm not hungry,' he repeated, a little louder this time.

Merlin tried his most charming smile. 'It's rat.'

Arthur didn't even smile at the private joke. He just turned his head in the other direction.

'Oh, believe me, you've eaten far worse,' Merlin told him, deliberately misinterpreting the meaning of Arthur's behaviour. 'I mean, I've definitely served you things I would never have touched, but you wolfed them down, no problem.'

This time he got a very irritated '_Merlin_!' in response.

He gave up. 'I know. I understand. You're angry because your father never told you about Morgana. But it's fine, isn't it? You were behaving as siblings anyway. And she's going to be fine. Alina will make sure of that.'

Arthur glared at him. 'Explain to me how this is supposed to make me feel better.'

He thought about that for a moment. 'Well…'

'Never mind,' Arthur interrupted. 'I'm not sure I want to hear it right now.'

'You're worried about Alina, too, aren't you?' Merlin asked. He must be. Even he himself could not completely stop himself from worrying about her safety. Alina was a powerful sorceress, but she was also alone in a castle with very few allies and a lot of immortal and bloodthirsty soldiers swarming around. He wasn't even sure if her magic would be much of a weapon against them. For all he knew Morgause's magic could have made them immune to that as well as to ordinary weapons.

'How can I not be?' Arthur exclaimed. 'She could be dead by now!'

'She'll be fine,' Merlin said, not convinced and probably not convincing either. 'She has survived far more dangerous things than this.'

'It's been a day,' Arthur pointed out.

'She said she'd be back in three,' Merlin countered. 'She'll make sure she is.'

'Can you not contact her?' Arthur asked. There was a pleading tone in his voice and the young warlock found himself almost incapable of refusing.

'She won't like that,' he replied. 'If she's in the middle of something…' _Like breaking everyone out of the dungeons, for example._ She had mentioned something like that over the mind link, but he was still very hard hoping that had just been her idea of a good joke and not something she was actually planning. She usually struck him as a sensible, thoughtful person, not like a reckless fool.

'Do it,' Arthur said.

'Right…' He let himself be persuaded, because if he was really honest, he wanted to know himself. _Alina?_

There was silence for a few seconds, but the she replied. _Yes? What's the matter, Merlin?_ If the tone in her mental voice was anything to go by, she had immediately jumped to the conclusion that they were in mortal danger.

_Arthur's worried about you_, he reported. _He wanted to know if you're all right?_

She was silent for another few seconds, but then exploded. _Which part of the sentence _call me only in case of an emergency_ wasn't clear, Merlin?_ she demanded. Had she been with them in person she would have given both of them her infamous glare. _I'm trying to get your girlfriend out of prison here, so would you kindly go and get lost? And tell Arthur to stop being such a baby and do something useful for a change._

He wanted to say something to her, something along the lines of _What on earth do you think you're doing?_, but she was already gone. 'She's alive,' he told Arthur. 'And mad at you. She says you should stop being such a baby and do something useful for a change.' He left out the part where she had mentioned her intention to break Morgana and who knows how many others out of prison. He wouldn't want Arthur to suffer a heart attack.

He may have been anticipating a piece of armour flung at his head for literally repeating Alina's words, but Arthur only nodded, a relieved expression on his face, which probably mirrored Merlin's own. He'd take an angry Alina over a dead one any day.

'Go and get some sleep, Merlin,' Arthur said in a voice that, if Merlin didn't know any better, would almost have tricked him into believing was caring.

'I'm not tired,' he said. He was, though. It was more that he didn't want to go to sleep, for fear something might happen while he was out.

It didn't fool Arthur. 'Let's make a deal,' he proposed. 'I'll eat your rat if you take a nap.'

He was tempted to roll his eyes. This was something Alina could have been saying. She clearly had a good (or bad, that depended on your point of view) influence on him.

'Fine,' he agreed, because the prince really needed to eat something.

He walked back to his bed, or what should pass for a bed, and tucked himself in, forcing himself to close his eyes and take deep breaths. _Alina is alive, Morgana is alive. We're going to be fine_, he kept repeating like a mantra. And sometime during the thousandth time told himself that he slipped away into sleep.

He dreamed. He knew he was dreaming, because there was no way that he had unconsciously and magically transported himself to the lake of Avalon. But it felt very real. He could feel the grass beneath his feet and the wind on his skin. The sun was shining, warming his face. If anything, the place was even more breath-taking than the last time he had been here, when the rain had been pouring down and he had held Freya's lifeless body in his arms.

Just remembering that sent a wave of renewed grief over him. He had not thinking about her that much lately, but he still regretted what had happened then. He sometimes even felt guilty about wishing to be with Morgana when he would have been with Freya had she still been alive. In his darkest moments it felt awfully like cheating.

He wondered why he was dreaming about this place now. He had dreamed about it before, but in those dreams it was always raining and he was holding Freya in his arms, crying and begging her to come back to him. This dream was completely different. He didn't even think he had ever seen the lake when it was sunny.

'Merlin,' a soft voice called as he was glancing around him, looking at the forest, noting with interest that there were flowers blooming everywhere.

He turned around, back to the lake and his heart almost stopped. Now he knew for sure that he was dreaming. Freya was standing in the water, walking slowly towards the shore, a kind, wide smile on her face. She was still wearing the dress he had stolen from Morgana's wardrobe and in it she looked like the princess he had always seen in her. But, more importantly, she was alive and unharmed.

'Freya,' he breathed. He tried to tell himself that he was dreaming and that this was not real, but still it felt so lifelike. If this was a dream, then it could not be an ordinary one. 'You're alive.'

Her smile turned from happy to sad and Merlin almost wished he hadn't said that. 'No, I am not,' she said. 'Not in the way that you mean.'

He tried to keep his disappointment at bay, but that was a battle already fought and lost. 'Then how…?'

'I swore that one day I would repay you, remember?' she asked.

How could he ever forget that day? 'I remember,' he whispered.

'Now is the moment,' she told him.

'So, this is not a normal dream, is it?' he asked her, knowing the answer before she gave it to him.

'There is only one weapon that can slay something which is already dead,' Freya explained.

These words made him wonder just how well aware she was of the events that took place in Camelot. Had she been watching over him, even though she was dead? Merlin found that an encouraging thought.

'Morgause's army,' he understood. 'But they're not dead. They are very much alive.' And Alina and Morgana were right in the middle of it.

'They are not,' Freya disagreed. 'Anyone who toys with the Cup pays a terrible price. The moment those men entered their pact with Morgause, they became the living dead. You must come to the lake so that I can give you the weapon to defeat them.'

He looked around him. 'We are at the lake.'

Her laughter rang out, a pure and happy sound. Merlin didn't think he had ever heard it before, but it was beautiful, almost musical. It killed all the irritation he might have felt at being laughed at before it could rise.

'Your mind is at the lake,' Freya said, still smiling. 'Your body is still in the cave, sleeping. You must wake and come to get the sword you hid here.'

It struck him then. The only weapon that could kill something which was already dead was… 'The sword forged in the dragon's breath,' he said out loud. He had almost forgotten he had hidden it here. So many things had happened since then. Camelot tended to roll from one crisis straight into the next, leaving him very little time to waste time on remembering things that didn't matter anymore. But now he did remember and he felt like banging his head against a wall for not coming up with this himself.

Freya nodded. 'That sword still lies at the bottom of the lake of Avalon and in your hands it has the power to save Albion.'

Heaven knew that Albion was in need of saving right now. 'If I come, will you give me the sword?' he asked.

She nodded again. 'I will.'

His face split into one of his most happy smiles. 'Thank you.'

'No, thank you,' she corrected. 'It is giving me the chance to see you one last time.'

His face fell. 'I will never see you again?' He tried and failed to keep the hurt out of his voice.

She took his hands. 'I have fulfilled my oath to you, Merlin. But I am dead, and you are alive. Your place is with the living.'

'You should be alive.' The words were out before he could stop them, a result of him having thought them far too often. It was not fair that Freya's life had been ended before she could have truly lived. He didn't blame Arthur, not really. The prince had only been doing his duty, but part of Merlin had always wished Arthur had been a little slower with his sword that night.

Her smile turned sad again. 'We were not meant to be, Merlin,' she said softly, squeezing his hands gently. 'You need to wake up, my love, and rescue the living woman who needs you, even if she doesn't acknowledge that truth yet.'

'Morgana?' he asked.

'The Lady Morgana,' Freya confirmed. 'Do not feel guilty, Merlin. This is as it should be.'

He bit his lips, biting back at least a dozen reasons why this was _not_ how it should be, because somewhere deep down he knew that she was right. Freya was dead. Instinctively he had always known she wouldn't want him to waste the rest of his life wishing for her to be there. But to hear Freya say this to him in person, that was a different matter entirely. It made him want to protest, hearing her giving him up so he could be with another woman. Did she think so little of herself?

She seemed to have been reading his mind. 'Do not push her away because of me,' she warned him, almost sternly. 'She needs you and you need her. Live, Merlin. And I will be here, enjoying watching you making the most of life.'

Something in her words made the anger go away. 'You will?'

She smiled, a soft sweet smile that made him want to smile back at her almost automatically. 'Of course. Now you need to wake up, Merlin. Come to the lake. Wake up!'

He could not ignore that command and the next moment he found himself wide awake, sitting on his makeshift bed in the secret cave in the Darkling Woods, Freya's words still ringing in his ears and a new sense of determination in his heart.

* * *

**So, what do you think? I'm not really sure about the whole dream thing, but I had to come up with some kind of solution now that Merlin did not have Freya's reflection in a pool of water, since I had skipped the episode where he gets the water. Anyway, the next update should be Thursday and then I promise we get to the real prison break.**


	86. Chapter 86

**Chapter 86**

**Arthur**

Arthur had only just finished the meal Merlin had given him when his servant shot up in his bed, a bewildered look in his eyes, as if he had just woken from a nightmare. There was something in the warlock's eyes that Arthur could not quite put his finger on. It was a strange mixture of grief, determination and confusion.

So he threw the habit of a lifetime aside and called: 'All right there, Merlin?' There was nobody here to hear him anyway and after the whole episode in the Druids' cave he could really not maintain the pretence that he didn't care about his manservant. Merlin was something between his best friend and the brother he never had. That gave him the right to be concerned, didn't it?

Merlin shot him a quick, supposedly reassuring smile that didn't reach his eyes. 'I'm fine,' he said.

'I don't believe that for a second,' Arthur told him. 'Did you have a nightmare?'

'No, of course not!' The indignant tone suggested that he was insulted by the mere mention of whatever dream he might have had being a nightmare. 'I… ehm… I need to go and do something.'

Arthur frowned. Merlin being vague usually meant there was trouble coming. The last time he had behaved like this was when he tried to keep the fact that there was a goblin on the loose in the castle from Arthur. He had not been convinced then and he was not convinced now. His servant was up to something, something dangerous, and he did not want Arthur to find out. That was a shame, because the prince was not going to let this go. His entire family was in danger at the moment. He didn't think he could deal with any more people getting themselves into trouble.

'And where would you be doing that something?' he wondered, eying Merlin warily.

It did not escape his notice that Merlin avoided meeting his eyes, which only strengthened his belief that the warlock was hiding something. 'Outside,' he replied, vaguely again.

'It's dangerous,' he concluded.

'Could be,' Merlin said, studying his boots.

'Didn't we agree on no more secrets?' Arthur asked. He was so tired of lies and secrets and had honestly believed he had done with them after he had revealed that he knew about Merlin's magic. 'So I'm going to ask this one more time: what are you up to, Merlin?'

Merlin finally gave up on his quest to avoid giving straight answers. 'I need to get a weapon that can slay the dead,' he replied. 'And the not-quite-living-anymore, like Morgause's immortal army.'

Now that got him Arthur's attention. 'Such a weapon exists?' Suddenly the future didn't look so grim anymore. With that weapon at their disposal, they would stand a chance. This was the best news Arthur had heard in weeks. 'Why didn't you say so sooner?'

The servant shrugged. 'I had kind of forgotten about it,' he confessed. 'The sword was forged years ago to slay the wraith, but it was too dangerous to leave it out in the open. So I hid it.'

That didn't sound good. A frown crept back on his face. 'Hid it where?'

'A lake,' Merlin answered reluctantly. 'I threw it in a lake, twenty leagues from here, on the other end of the forest.'

Arthur moaned. 'And your brilliant plan was to go there on your own, on foot, while these woods are infested with immortal soldiers whose life ambition it is to kill everyone who steps foot in there?' He knew Merlin had a streak of recklessness, but even by his standards, this was taking it far. This was bordering on suicidal. 'And how would you even get the sword if you managed to get there? Dive?'

Merlin shrugged again. 'I just know that I will get it when I get there.' Arthur noted the use of _when_ instead of _if_. 'Something about the dream I just had,' he clarified. Or well, it was probably supposed to be clarifying. Arthur still didn't have a clue what he was talking about. He had to be careful or else it would become a habit.

He decided to leave it there for a moment. Merlin was a warlock after all. Maybe he could just magic the sword to him or something like that. It didn't solve the problem of how they (because there was no way Arthur was going to sit back and wait while his clumsy manservant ran straight into mortal danger) were going to get to this lake. He knew Merlin had not yet mastered this whole appear-and-disappear-in-a-whirlwind-thing.

'So, how do we get there?' he asked. 'I take it you have some kind of plan.' _And please let it be something else than walking through an immortal army infested forest._

'We?' Merlin frowned.

'You didn't think I was going to let you go alone, did you?' he asked in mock desperation.

Merlin's face showed the hint of a smile. 'Does that mean that you actually care about me?'

Arthur snorted. 'What on earth gave you that idea?'

Merlin's muttered answer to himself was barely audible, but Arthur was almost certain he heard something that sounded very much like _Druids' cave_ to his ears. He chose to ignore it.

'So, how are we going to get there?' he repeated.

Merlin looked thoughtful for a moment, thus confirming Arthur's suspicion that he hadn't actually given that question any thought until now. Arthur supposed he should be surprised, but he really wasn't. That was Merlin for you, acting first and thinking after.

Suddenly his face lit up. 'I think I know a way…'

**Alina**

Her heart was beating too loud again, pounding in her ears, making it hard to think. She had tried to convince herself otherwise, but now she really had to admit that she was scared. She had shown a brave face to Gwen when she told her that she could easily manage the preparations for the Camelot version of prison break on her own. But now Gwen had gone to deliver her message and her keys to the prisoners and she was alone again, in the heart of Camelot, about to do something Merlin and Arthur would surely label as very dangerous.

Alina had been thinking long and hard how she could pull this stunt off. Morgause wasn't exactly stupid, so if she created a distraction, the blonde witch would almost immediately suspect it was an attempt to break the king and knights out of the dungeons. But that was the point: they needed a distraction to make this work. There were too many guards holed up in the dungeons to pull this off without one.

For a moment it had seemed like an impossible mission, but then it had struck her. She would create a distraction and she would make it a big, lots of attention demanding one. And when all those soldiers were busy dealing with her destructive little surprise for them and checking on the prisoners, she would reveal her "true target". That was the way to deal with this. She would create a distraction and then would have them believe that not the dungeon, but the new king was the target. And while the prisoners kindly broke themselves out, all Cenred's immortals would run around the place like headless chickens trying to find a non-existent assassin.

The plan was not brilliant, she knew that, but it was the best that she had and with no legend to fall back on, she was actually quite pleased with it. It gave her the feeling that she finally had done something entirely on her own, with no legend or TV show to feed her actions. This was her own making.

_Legend can go to hell_, she thought as she was secretly watching the entrance to the room she needed to get into. _It's screwed up anyway._

She snorted. Legend had been screwed from the moment she had set foot in Camelot, even though she had not realised that at the time. It made all her fears about changing legend seem rather pathetic, not to mention downright stupid. She guessed they were. She could have done so much more had she accepted her destiny straightaway. _I was so stupid and naïve back then_.

Her biggest problem at the moment was how the hell she would manage to get into her own room now. The thought almost made her blood boil again. She had never believed Morgause would have the guts to steal her room, although it made sense when you thought about it longer. Morgause would want the use of her small library of magic books situated in the room next to her own. It made sense, but Alina was not an ounce less disgusted. Maybe she would leave a small surprise for the invader of her private space as well. That would teach her a lesson.

The guards looked extremely bored, something she could easily understand. Morgause wasn't in, so they were guarding an empty room. Speaking of useless. But useless though it may be, they were still blocking her way and she needed to get in, preferably without being seen. Because if she was seen, that was bound to bring all of those immortal bastards down on her and that she could do without.

She peeked around the corner, but the guards were still staring at the same spot on the wall opposite them and there was not a soul, either mortal or immortal, to be seen in the corridor. She wasn't going to get a better chance than this one.

She held out her hand, muttering a sleeping spell, hoping and praying those would actually work on these guys. She needn't have worried; the guards slumped down against the wall and onto the ground, snoring softly.

She sighed in relief and made a run to the door, opening it with another muttered spell. She was in before anyone had noticed her. Now she could only hope Morgause would not feel the need to either visit her room or the library anytime soon.

The room had not changed, not one bit, apart from Morgause's things, mainly her armour and some of her magical supplies. To see her familiar things strangely calmed her and she could think clearly again. She was here for a reason and she could not allow herself to linger too long.

She had been grateful for the hidden space at the back of the cupboard many times before, but never so much as now. She was almost certain Morgause would not have bothered to look there. As far as she knew, Alina had nothing to hide in Camelot anymore and besides, since the invasion the witch had been too preoccupied with her new king to pay much attention to her new quarters.

The hidden door opened easily as she whispered the password she had set on it. In the unlikely case that Morgause had found this little beauty, she would still have been incapable of opening it.

She reached inside and pulled out the package Cathy had brought with her when she had visited Camelot: smoke bombs from the town's joke shop. Alina felt herself smirking. This would do very nicely, very nicely indeed.

She took two of them and knelt down next to the bed and attached them to it, enchanting them as she did so. She could almost picture what happened when Morgause was going to lie down and suddenly found herself surrounded by a lot of smoke, the potency of the joke products increased in tenfold by Alina's spell. _If I get really lucky, she suffocates._

She was a little shocked by that thought, knowing for sure that she would never have thought such a thing before she had come to Camelot. When she had still been Lynn, she had been a kind girl, not daring to wish ill on anybody. Living in Camelot had fortunately cured her from that foolish attitude towards life. Camelot had forced her to grow up, she realised.

There was no reason to stay here any longer. She had what she came for, but it was painful to leave, knowing that Morgause would come back here as if she had every right to. And yes, those smoke bombs would teach her a lesson, but still…

_Get a grip, Alina!_ she berated herself. _You're a grown woman, not a sentimental girl._

She nodded to herself. Yes, she was behaving foolishly. Here she was feeling sorry for herself when there were lives to be saved. _Get your priorities sorted._

The guards were still snoring when she left again, locking the door behind her. No one would know that she had been here. Everything was as Morgause had left it and the guards were none the wiser. They might get their wrists slapped for falling asleep on duty, but until Morgause would try to take a little nap no one would know that not all was as it should be.

With the first part of her plan completed without problems, Alina started to feel slightly pleased with herself. Now all that remained to be done was booby-trapping Cenred's chamber, the council chamber and the throne room. She chuckled darkly. That man was going to regret the day he had decided to make it his life's ambition to attack Camelot, she would make sure of that.

**Arthur**

Arthur was trying not to show how nervous he was, but he had the idea that he was failing spectacularly. He held his sword tightly, looking over his shoulder every other second to see if there wasn't any immortal scum creeping up on them. Even though he hadn't seen as much as a trace of Cenred's men for the entirety of the walk he felt jumpy and the knowledge that he was going to meet the dragon again, let alone ride him, was so not helping in calming his nerves.

When Merlin had announced that they were going to use the Great Dragon for transport, his jaw had dropped, hoping against hope that this was just Merlin's idea of a good joke. It turned out that it wasn't. He was dead serious.

Arthur had started to protest, but he had shut up quick enough when Merlin pointed out that there wasn't exactly a list of other options and that he could always stay behind if he didn't feel brave enough. That last remark had done it. Arthur Pendragon was not going to go down in history as a coward.

It didn't mean that he liked the way things were going, though. Merlin had roared his command to the dragon a few minutes ago. Arthur hoped he was not too far away today. Merlin told him that he thought that would not be the case, not when Morgause was playing her dangerous game.

He was right. When they entered the clearing to which Merlin had ordered the dragon to come, he was already there, eyeing them with an interested gaze. 'Young warlock, young Pendragon,' he acknowledged. 'Why have you called me here?'

'We need to cross twenty leagues of hostile territory,' Merlin replied. 'I need you to take us.'

Arthur knew the dragon was not amused by this request before he answered. The huge golden eyes narrowed and he could hear a soft, but very irritated growl in the back of his throat. 'We've gone over this before, Merlin,' the creature said indignantly. 'I am not a horse.'

Arthur could only just bite back a witty comment along the lines of 'Thank you for pointing that out. It might have escaped my notice otherwise.' The last thing he needed right now was pissing off a fire-breathing monster.

Merlin had no such reservations. 'Fine,' he agreed sarcastically. 'Then we'll walk there and doubtlessly get ourselves killed along the way by Morgause's immortal soldiers, which, of course, will mean that Morgause and Cenred will win. So unless that's what you want…?'

Arthur blinked. Merlin was blackmailing this beast? Was he out of his mind? Did he have a death wish after all?

The growl in the dragon's throat was unmistakable now. 'My allegiance has never been with that witch!'

'I know,' Merlin said calmly. 'But is it with me?'

'Yes, young warlock,' Kilgharrah replied. 'It is with you.'

Not that he had much of a choice, Arthur thought wryly. Had the beast refused to comply with Merlin's wishes, the servant could always command him to obey. Even though Arthur knew how great Merlin's power was, it still struck him as odd that he had the power to command such a magically powerful creature as a dragon, that would obey him without question. Well, he rather had Merlin having that power than the likes of Morgause.

Merlin's face split into a huge grin. 'So, you'll take us?'

Kilgharrah nodded. 'Yes, young warlock.'

Merlin turned to Arthur. 'Climb on,' he invited.

The prince took a deep breath, trying to remind himself that he was the crown prince of Camelot and not a frightened little boy. The thought of flying tied tight knots in his stomach and he was sure that he was either as pale as a sheet or as green as a man who suffered of seasickness. Thankfully it was now completely dark, so hopefully Merlin wouldn't notice. He wouldn't hear the end of it otherwise.

Merlin didn't have a problem with flying whatsoever. His smile was so wide Arthur suspected his face would literally split if it got any wider. Based on that smile and the dragon's words he guessed that this was not the first time his servant had taken a ride on the dragon's back. Merlin rather than him.

'Hold on,' the warlock advised him.

Arthur didn't need to be told twice. He gripped the scales so tightly that his knuckles turned white. A moment later he was glad that he had, because Kilgharrah flew off without a warning and then they were in the air, the safe ground shrinking rapidly underneath them. Arthur had the strange notion that his stomach had remained on the ground, but he knew better than to say this. Merlin was obviously enjoying himself. The warlock gave the impression that he had left all his worries on the ground. He didn't even hold on as they flew higher and higher, a wide exited smile on his face, cheering against the wind.

'This is great,' he yelled.

'If you say so,' Arthur replied in a strained voice. He was trying very hard not to look down.

Merlin had noticed. 'Close your eyes,' he advised.

Arthur had some doubts about that, but there weren't that many options, so he reluctantly shut his eyes. And it did help. If he didn't see anything he could almost fool himself into believing he was aboard a ship with gentle waves underneath it.

'Better?' Merlin asked.'

'Who said it was bad?' Arthur shot back.

'Clotpole,' the servant muttered.

'Idiot,' Arthur countered.

They could hear the dragon's roaring laughter. He must have a very good hearing if he could have made out their words.

The journey passed fairly quickly. Once he got over the nausea that had held him in its grip since climbing on this beast, Arthur had to admit that transport by dragon was both more comfortable and faster than travel on horseback. He opened his eyes again after some minutes, choosing to look at the skies instead of the ground beneath them.

Dawn was breaking by the time Kilgharrah descended again, landing with a hard thud on the ground in a small clearing near a lake. Doubtlessly this was the lake Merlin had mentioned. It must be not too far away from Camelot, but Arthur had never been to this place before. He vowed to himself that it would most certainly not be the last. When all this was over, he would take Alina with him for a picnic here. She would simply love the wild beauty of this place.

The thought of his fiancée brought back a frown to his face. Heaven knew what she was doing now. Merlin hadn't told him and Arthur wasn't sure he even wanted to know. He had to tell himself every other second that she was perfectly capable of keeping herself alive and that, if she were to get into trouble, she would contact them. If he wouldn't, he'd panic. Not thinking too much about the fact that there were in fact immortal soldiers in the castle also helped to keep the nerves at bay.

Kilgharrah demanded their attention again. 'I warned you before that in the wrong hands, this sword can do great evil,' he told Merlin with a stern gaze.

Merlin grimaced. _From the way he's talking you'd say we were a pair of toddlers who need to be told that swords are sharp and can actually hurt us_, he thought at the prince.

Arthur tried to disguise his laugher as a coughing fit, but if the dragon's glare was anything to go by, it wasn't convincing. He averted his head, looking at Merlin again. 'You must promise me, Merlin, never to let anyone else than you or the young Pendragon wield this sword.'

'I promise,' Merlin said in a serious voice. It was only when he talked like that that Arthur was reminded of the powerful warlock that Merlin was. Most of the time he was just the clumsy servant and it was hard to imagine that person having magic. Then he suddenly smirked. 'If you promise to wait for us nearby until we are finished.'

Kilgharrah gave him one last glare and then flew away.

'I take that as a yes,' he said optimistically.

Arthur watched over the lake again, noticing how big it actually was. For all he knew that sword could be anywhere. How on earth were they going to get hold of it? He put that question into words.

'I'm not sure,' Merlin admitted. 'It will come to us, I guess.'

Not for the first time in the last twenty-four hours Arthur got the unwelcome idea that his servant was holding out on him. 'And how exactly do you think this sword will come to us?' he demanded. 'Will it just magically flow into your hands or something?'

Merlin looked a bit uneasy. 'Something like that.' From the tone in his voice Arthur could tell that he wasn't actually joking.

He was about to ask what that was supposed to mean when the lake suddenly began to stir. He blinked and looked again. And then his jaw dropped. 'What. On. Earth…?'

* * *

**Is there anyone out there who still believes me when I say that I really will do the whole prison break next chapter? I promise you that next chapter, that's what you'll get and this time I mean it. My brain kept throwing other things at me that needed to be written first, but now I'm really working at it. **

**Please leave me a review with your thoughts on this chapter. Love it, hate it? Let me know!**


	87. Chapter 87

**Hello, dear readers. Here it finally is, the promised prison break in a Camelot style. This chapter is dedicated to ****Rya3SaberVltar en Neptune19 who have reviewed every chapter and who have been waiting for his chapter for quite some time. So, this one's for you.**

**I have something less nice to announce as well. I'm going to bring the updates back to once a week for the next month. I am very busy with all kinds of stuff at the moment and I do actually intend to spend some time on eating and sleeping, and I simply can't do that writing two chapters a week. One a week should be doable. Sorry for this. Things should go back to normal in January.**

**Okay, enough of my rambling. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 87**

**Morgana**

The key and Alina's note had brought back some hope to the cell where Morgana and Uther were being held. She had hidden the key away in her left shoe and had eaten the note to make sure it wouldn't be read by eyes that weren't meant to. And now all that was left to do was wait.

That turned out to be one of the most tedious pastimes ever invented by mankind. Knowing that something was going to happen in a couple of hours and yet being unable to do anything, that was killing her.

Uther wasn't any good as company either. After she had told him what Alina had written he had retreated into himself, a thoughtful look in his eyes. He hadn't even acknowledged that she had spoken to him. Morgana briefly considered invading his mind, but he would surely notice that and that wasn't worth it. And, to be really honest, she wasn't even sure that she wanted to know what was going round in his head. Some people say that you could not help but start liking the person you were locked up with. It wasn't something Morgana could understand, however. She still disliked the man as much as ever. The only thing their stay in the dungeons had done for her was that she had lost her fear for him.

The daylight had long faded when finally something happened, although it wasn't the event of Morgana's choice. 'Open the door,' the familiar voice of Morgause commanded.

A lock was turned and the door swung open, revealing Morgause in all her victor's glory. She even smirked to complete the picture. 'Good evening, sister,' she said in that all too kind voice.

'I'd say _good evening to you too_, but I've been brought up to tell the truth, so I can't,' Morgana snapped. How on earth had she ever been able to like this woman? Had she always been this cold, this _evil_? If so, then why had she never noticed before?

'Come, come, sister,' Morgause said soothingly.

'Don't you dare,' Morgana warned her. 'We're not sisters anymore, not after you put these cursed chains on me.' She held out her arms, showing the magic-binding chains on her wrists, looking at them with pure and utter disgust. This was bound to be the worst crime a sorcerer could do to another one of their kind.

The blonde enchantress glanced briefly at them, but then looked back at Morgana. 'It was a necessary measure, sister,' she replied. Morgana suspected she was only calling her sister to taunt her. There was no way there was any sisterly love left. 'I regret it, but it's for your own good.'

'Explain to me how _this_ is for my own good,' she growled, not sure she even wanted to know.

There was an almost loving expression on Morgause's face now. 'They've lied to you, misled you,' she said softly. 'I believe that you can come to your senses in time, but I can't allow you to go free until that time comes.' With a shock Morgana realised that her former sister was dead serious about this one. This was no trick. She truly believed that Morgana was not in her right mind anymore.

That didn't make the allegation any easier to swallow and she had exploded before she had given herself the chance to think about it. 'Then release me, because I have seen sense already!' she spat. 'I admit that I have been blind and naïve and a complete and utter idiot when I allowed you to play me for your own ends, but I have seen you for what you really are now. You, Morgause, are a tyrant, a murderer and a liar and don't you ever dare call me sister again. You and I are enemies, not family.'

Morgause backed away, as if Morgana had physically hit her.

So she didn't need the use of her hands to hurt this evil witch. Words were just as effective. And her rage had already taken over. There was almost no stopping it now. 'Don't look so surprised,' she sneered. 'You have known this, fuelled it yourself. You have no one but yourself to blame for this. You could have done as I asked, you could have stayed away from Camelot. And now I swear to you, I won't rest until you are gone. And if you think that I can't do anything, think again.' _Because in a few hours I will be out of this godforsaken dungeon and once I am free again, I will make it my personal mission to empty the Cup of Life_. 'We are mortal enemies now and I will make sure you'll regret the day you chose to ignore my warning.'

She was slightly out of breath after that outburst, but the expression on her captor's face made it totally worth it. There was rage, disappointment, but above all, there was hurt. Morgana felt strangely triumphant about that. Once upon a time she would have shuddered at the very thought of hurting her sister, let alone _wanting_ to hurt her sister. Maybe this should have bothered her, but it didn't, not in the slightest.

She wondered briefly how that had happened. How had she come to hate the woman she had once seen as her personal saviour? When had been the moment that she realised that not Alina and Merlin, but Morgause was the enemy? Had it been Merlin when he pulled the goblin off her? Had it been Alina when she asked her to be a bridesmaid at her wedding? Or had it been Morgause's doing when she had sided with Cenred and had marched on Camelot? She wasn't really sure of the answer. Maybe it was a combination of all those things and some more. But that didn't really matter anymore, did it? They found themselves in this situation now. They had to deal with it.

All emotions disappeared from Morgause's face, leaving only ice-cold hatred. 'I will make them pay for what they did to you,' she vowed.

Morgana's jaw dropped. 'You are out of your mind!' she exclaimed. 'This is no one's fault but yours. I am as sane as I ever was, even more so!' This time she could hardly keep the panic at bay. If those words implied what she thought they implied, then several people were in serious danger. The majority of those people were still on the run, but the knights were all too vulnerable now, locked up in other cells in this very dungeon. It would be too easy for this witch to harm or even kill them. 'And if you hurt them, I swear I will not only make sure your rule will fail, but then I will personally ascertain that the rest of your life is going to be a living hell as well,' she threatened, for good measure, falling back on one of Arthur's most favourite threats. The tone in her voice left little room for any doubts as to whether she really meant it.

Pain flashed across Morgause's face again. 'Morgana…' she whispered.

'Get out!' Morgana hissed.

'Sister…'

'Get. Out. Of. My. Sight,' she said through clenched teeth, speaking each word as if it was a full sentence.

For a moment they were at an impasse, but then the squealing started. Somewhere outside someone was causing some serious trouble, effectively frightening a lot of people out of their wits.

_Alina!_ Morgana thought. Without a doubt this was the promised distraction. It wouldn't be long until she was out of here.

Morgause's face had darkened and she was already out of the cell before Morgana could say another word. 'Keep these doors locked!' she ordered. 'Double the guard.' The doors slammed shut behind her.

Morgana couldn't bring herself to worry about the extra guards. Alina had promised that they would not bother them and she trusted her. Heaven knew she trusted her more than anyone else in this castle right now. She had to believe that everything was going to be all right, as Alina never failed to remind her.

'What's happening?' Uther asked. It was the first thing he had said in hours.

Morgana couldn't help but smirk. 'It has begun,' she replied.

**Alina**

She was chilled to the bone, but at the moment she couldn't bring herself to care. She had more pressing matters to concern herself with. In her head she went over her plans one last time, but she couldn't find fault in them. She had done everything as she had planned it and she should know it: she had checked her list at least ten times, probably more.

And now it was finally time to act. Everything was in place and the time was right. She peeked over the railing of the abandoned balcony on which she had chosen to hide. The courtyard was quiet, but not empty. This was good.

She glanced up at the statues on the walls, smirking. Cornelius Sigan had called them to life to attack everyone they could get to. He had given her the idea for her own attack, although she had twisted his spell a bit so that the statues would only attack Camelot's invaders. The statues would be incapable of killing Morgause's immortal soldiers, but they couldn't kill her little pets either. But it would keep them busy, which was exactly what she wanted.

She started to whisper the spell, clearly speaking all the words and closing her eyes to concentrate better. Sigan's spell had already been ridiculously long and her addition made it even longer. But she had practised it all afternoon in her head and that paid off now. When she opened her eyes again, the stone creatures on the wall had come alive, already descending the walls down into the courtyard.

There was a baker's boy wheeling his cart over the square. He was the first to look up and spot the creatures. Alina knew him pretty well. He was a kind lad, always in for a laugh. She would have spared him this ordeal if she could, especially since he lost his father in Sigan's attack. But this was how it was and it needed to be done.

The boy froze on the spot, his eyes growing wide, his face paler than a sheet. For a moment he just stared, but then he screamed, a scream of pure horror.

That alerted the other people in the square, including Morgause's immortal guards. They grabbed their weapons as the other people cleared out while they still could. Only the baker's boy was too afraid to move. One particularly dangerous statue approached him and all he could do was stare at what he doubtlessly thought to be his doom. But the statue walked straight past him and literally threw itself on the nearest guard.

It was now downright chaos in the courtyard. From where she sat, she could see it all clearly. People were running for their lives while more and more of Cenred's men came running into the square. They didn't show a hint of fear, but then, they had nothing to fear. They were immortal now.

Immortal, yes, but they were not invincible. They could be hurt. Alina could not understand why she had not thought about this before. Maybe it was because the show hadn't exactly paid much attention to this. But when one guard was flung away by one of her pets, she could hear his bones shattering as he hit the wall. He was obviously still alive (the constant stream of curses coming out of his mouth was more than enough proof of that), but he couldn't walk anymore.

She was starting to feel remotely pleased with herself when Morgause came out. The blonde witch didn't need long to assess the situation and then she started to throw spells around. At first she tried to blast the statues to pieces, as Merlin had done with Sigan's pets, but Alina had anticipated this. Nothing but her command would make these little beauties go back to their places, as lifeless as they ever were. Another's magic could not touch them, especially not Morgause's.

Alina hated to comment on her own powers and she much rather not discussed it with others, but she knew she was powerful. The thought of that frightened her sometimes, but it did have its advantages. It allowed her to enjoy watching Morgause's futile attempts to deal with the creatures she had set loose in the castle.

'Protect the king!' the witch yelled as some of Alina's pets escaped from the courtyard into the castle istelf.

Alina had been waiting for this. She closed her eyes and searched for Cenred's mind. The man disgusted her and she had much rather avoided this, but sometimes needs must. She found his selfish mind in the council chambers, enjoying a late night snack, lounging in his chair.

_Ugh, appalling table manners_, she could not help but thinking. The new crowned king of Camelot had several stains on his clothing. She could even effortlessly identify what food was responsible for them. Cenred was truly a barbarian in every sense of the word. _Charming_.

He was about to set his teeth in a piece of meat when the guards stormed in, Morgause following in their wake. 'The castle is under siege,' she reported bluntly.

Cenred wasn't alarmed in the slightest. 'So my guards keep telling me,' he retorted, sending an unconcerned grin in his accomplice's direction.

Morgause answered it with an icy stare. 'It means that they're here,' she pointed out, an edge of panic to her voice. 'Emrys and the Lady Alina. No one else could have called those statues alive.'

'They can't hurt us, though,' Cenred said, his mouth full with bread and meat.

_How wrong you are_, Alina thought with a mischievous grin.

Cenred was very close to finding out exactly how wrong he was about that statement. Alina had enchanted the smoke bombs so that they would not only produce considerable amounts of smoke, but also a few nice bangs. And she was just about to set them off.

'You don't understand, Cenred!' Morgause was not only panicking, but also very frustrated by now.

_Three…_

'What's not to understand?' The king shrugged. 'Our soldiers are immortal. Not all the magic in the world can change that.'

_Two…_

'Are you really as stupid as you look?' Morgause demanded.

_One…_

At least she got his attention now. He stared at her wide-eyed as if he couldn't believe she just said that to him.

Boom!

**Morgana**

It was impossible not to hear the loud bang that came from within the castle, even in the dungeon. For a moment everyone seemed to hold their breath, moving in slow motion, but then the shouting began. Orders were being yelled to bring the prisoner security back to a minimum and protect the king instead.

Morgana listened intently, desperate to know what was going on. She knew for certain that Alina was responsible for whatever hell had broken loose out there. What she didn't know was how she had managed it. It could not have been easy to persuade Morgause to command to leave the dungeon.

'It's time,' she informed Uther as the last guard disappeared from sight. It was now or never and Morgana had no intention whatsoever to spend a minute longer in this wretched place than she had to.

She retrieved the key from her shoe and began to unshackle herself. The magic-binding chains were the first to go. A wave of warmth and relief went through her when she felt her magic come back to her. She hadn't realised how incomplete she had felt without it. Once again, she swore a silent oath to make Morgause pay for that crime.

There was no need for the key now anymore. She undid the shackles around her ankles with a muttered spell and then moved on to Uther.

She was surprised when he grabbed her hands and shook his head. 'No, Morgana.'

Did he still refuse to let her use magic on him, even now? He was such a hypocrite! 'Still afraid of magic, are you?' she hissed angrily. 'Well, you better get used to it, because, as it happens, you're surrounded by sorcerers.'

'It isn't your magic, Morgana,' he said quietly.

'Then what is?' she demanded. He was wasting precious time with this nonsense. They needed to get out of here as soon as possible, before Morgause found the time and men to spare to check on the prisoners again. She didn't plan to be around for when that happened. 'We do _not_ have time for this.'

'Morgana.'

His voice, so much calmer than she had heard it in a long time, made her finally look at his face. What she saw there, startled her. Uther was sad, but determined. In a flash she understood what he was trying to say and again she saw something of the honourable king that he normally hid away.

'You are not staying here,' she told him. 'Arthur's going to kill me if I dare come back without you.' Ugh, why did he have to be so self-sacrificing now of all times? Was this because he believed he was too old to keep up with them, because he was afraid he would slow them down and ruin their chances of a successful escape?

'I _can't _come,' Uther said with emphasis.

'Don't be ridiculous,' Morgana snapped, using one of Alina's favourite phrases. The Court Sorceress seemed to provide her with a lot of usable lines lately. 'You're still as fit as you ever were,' she argued. 'Here, let me remove those chains and then we'll go. We can't keep Alina waiting indefinitely.' She didn't say the most important part, that she didn't know how long it would take for Morgause and Cenred that all the mayhem Alina was currently causing was nothing more than a distraction. And as soon as they riddled that out, there would be guards down here faster than you could blink your eyes.

'Morgana, they broke my legs.'

Those words made her look up in horror. Uther's face was as serious as she had ever seen it. She then looked down at his legs. How could she not have noticed this? How on earth could she have missed the fact that Uther had crawled across the small cell since she got here? Not once had he been on his two feet since she had regained consciousness. Why had she paid no attention to that?

With a bit of guilt the answer came to her. She had been too busy wallowing in self-pity over the restraint of her magic to pay attention to much else, let alone Uther's problems. And he, being this honourable king that he was suddenly trying to be, hadn't mentioned it to her. But he had asked her about her problems, had even tried to understand in his own unique way. Suddenly she felt like the most selfish person on earth.

'Alina can heal them,' she pointed out. 'The secret entrance isn't far from here. Surely you can make it to there?' She tried to fool herself into believing that the hopeful tone in her voice was the result of fatigue and not of a sudden fondness for the man who turned out to be her father.

He smiled a little sad smile. 'I can't walk that far.'

She knew what that meant. Either she left him behind or she would be stuck here like him. And that she couldn't do. She cursed her own inability to perform a decent healing spell. Alina had tried to teach her, but she could hardly heal a scratch, let alone broken bones.

And while they were talking here, time was ticking away. She needed to get out and she needed to get out now. But now she understood that she would be going alone. She had never been Uther's biggest fan, but to leave him at Morgause's mercy? That was taking it a bit too far in her opinion. And she remembered promising Alina to take care of both Uther and Connor. Somehow she didn't think that involved abandoning one of them, assuming that Connor had also received one of Alina's magical keys.

'I made a promise,' she blurted out, not even sure why she was saying that. She didn't even like Uther! Was she going to jeopardise her own chance of getting out of this blasted place for his sake? That would certainly be the joke of the century.

'Go, Morgana,' he urged her. 'Go now while you still have the chance.'

Freedom was so close, but could she take the chance? Could she really break her promise and leave the king here to die an almost certain death? Something felt infinitely wrong about that.

Uther seemed to have read her mind, giving her an almost gentle nudge towards the door, away from him. 'Go now, child, before it is too late.'

'You could die here,' she pointed out, rather unnecessarily.

He nodded calmly. 'Arthur is ready,' he replied. It was as if he knew his fate, knew it and already accepted it. 'He will make for a good king once I am gone.'

Who was this man and what had he done to Uther Pendragon? Who could ever had guessed that the fearsome king had such a soft and feeling side to him? But why on earth had he chosen to be like this now of all times? It would have been so much easier to leave him if he had just behaved like the arrogant tyrant she had known him as all her life. Now every word he spoke made it more difficult for her to do as she knew she had to do.

'Morgana, as your king I am ordering you to leave.' Once again, it was as if he had read her mind.

She snorted. 'Or what? You'll have me restrained?' In any other circumstances that might have been a very good joke. It wasn't so now. To Morgana it only felt tragic. This was not meant to be. She knew it wasn't. Alina had told her so herself. But Morgana also knew that destiny liked to play tricks on them. She must be dealing with one of those right this very minute.

He looked her right in the eye. 'Arthur will need your powers if he is to take back Camelot. He's going to need all the help he can get. You are no use to either him or me while you're in here. Go, my daughter. Your brother needs you.' That was the first time he had ever addressed her as his child, she couldn't fail to notice. She tried to swallow away the sudden lump in her throat, but it seemed to have taken up permanent residence there. She was struck speechless.

'You're my child, Morgana, and I love you, but please leave me,' Uther all but begged. 'I'll only slow you down.'

She knew she had to and she knew she could not afford to lose any more time, but she came back to him one last time, whispering a spell. His chains broke. 'Try to get out on your own if you can,' she whispered, her decision finally made.

He nodded, even though they both knew that was not going to happen. Morgana could just not leave him chained to the wall, not after what he had just said to her.

She got up, turning to the door, blasting it off its hinges with one muttered spell, her own anger and frustration making it more powerful than it was supposed to be. Not one alarmed shout was to be heard. The guards had all gone. The way in front of her was clear.

She looked over her shoulder for the last time. 'I will come back for you,' she vowed. _And when I do, Morgause will wish she had never been born_. 'I promise… father.' Hardly believing that she had actually said that, she turned on her heels and literally fled out of the dungeons, thus missing the tears that had formed in Uther Pendragon's eyes.

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**Okay, that's it for now. Hopefully it lived up to your expectations. Let me know! Next chapter should be up next Saturday or Sunday. **


	88. Chapter 88

**Hello again, dear readers. Are you all ready for the new chapter? Yes? Well, enjoy! And if it isn't too much trouble, would you please review?**

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**Chapter 88**

**Merlin**

'What. On. Earth…?' were the words that came out of Arthur's mouth as he saw what, or rather, _who_ was rising from the lake. He seemed to be incapable of saying anything else, which might have something to do with the fact that his jaw had dropped.

Merlin himself had frozen into place, watching the water and its occupant with wide eyes and soaring heart. He knew Freya would come to him to give him the sword, but still it was strange to see her rise up from the lake, looking every inch the princess he had always seen in her. She was beautiful.

'Freya,' he whispered.

That caused Arthur to look away from the Lady of the Lake and turn his attention to Merlin. 'You know her?' he hissed.

He bit his lip, not sure how to explain this. This was one of the reasons he had wanted to come alone. How did you explain to your best friend that the girl you loved, but had died a tragic death at said friend's hands, was going to present them with a sword that could slay the dead? The matter was even more complicated because Arthur wasn't even aware that the bastet he had mortally wounded was a beautiful girl who had stolen his servant's heart. Merlin had explained quite a lot of his actions as a warlock since Arthur had told him he knew about Merlin's magic, but this had been not one of those stories. It was too painful to share with anyone, although he suspected that Alina knew it anyway.

So he simply nodded. 'Yes.'

'Merlin,' Freya smiled. She had the sword in her hands, holding it out in front of her. 'You came.'

'I beg your pardon, my lady,' Arthur interrupted. 'But I have no idea who you are.' He took in her appearance. 'And why are you wearing Lady Morgana's dress?'

Oops. Merlin had hoped Arthur wouldn't notice that particular fact. The prince paid hardly any attention to his own clothing, let alone anyone else's, so he had assumed he would not recognise one of Morgana's dresses that had gone missing almost three years ago. But naturally, Arthur was always most observant when he could least use it.

She curtsied. 'My lord,' she acknowledged. 'My name is Freya. I am a friend of Merlin's.'

Arthur frowned at Merlin. 'You are keeping some strange company.'

Freya laughed. 'It is good to finally meet you properly, Arthur Pendragon,' she told him.

That didn't do much to deal with Arthur's current confusion. 'Have we met before?' he questioned.

**Arthur**

Arthur took in the strange woman. She sure was beautiful, which could have explained Merlin's admiring look, had his behaviour not told him otherwise. These two were obviously old friends. No, forget that, they were clearly more than friends, or they had been in the past.

There was also this strange matter with Morgana's dress. No matter what Merlin liked to believe, he wasn't a complete fool. He had seen Morgana wear that dress for years. He recognised it when he saw it. And now she implied that they had met before?

'Have we met?' he demanded.

The smile softened her face. 'Not as such,' she replied. 'You have seen me while I was still cursed.' And as he frowned, she clarified: 'Every night at midnight I turned into a bastet.'

The realisation hit him with the force of a lightning bolt. The bastet, the one that he had killed that night in Camelot, several years ago. He remembered Merlin's depressed mood the days after that event. Good heavens, the warlock had been grieving and he had assumed that it was because he had thrown water over him? He felt so stupid now!

'I killed you,' he stammered. Never had three words been so difficult to pronounce.

She nodded. 'I am not angry with you,' she said softly. 'You did what you had to. You stopped the monster.'

'You were not a monster!' Merlin protested. By the sound of it, this wasn't the first time this subject had been discussed, Arthur suspected.

He shook his head immediately to clear his mind. It was too bizarre to even think about. His servant was discussing things with a dead girl. Shouldn't they be wondering how on earth it was even possible for her to be here in the flesh? He had learned a lot about magic since he had learned about Alina's and Merlin's powers, so he was fairly certain that no amount of magic was capable of resurrecting those that had already died. So whenever someone was dead appeared, like his mother's spirit, conjured up by Morgause several years ago, there was something not right. And Freya had died, she as good as confirmed it. Shouldn't they get the hell out of here?

'It is true,' the lady said. 'You know that, Merlin.' Arthur could hear the tenderness in her voice as she spoke to him, confirming his suspicions, and making him feel even worse about himself in the process.

It had not been nice to realise that he had been responsible, directly, for the death of a young woman that had no control over what had happened to her. It had been even less nice to discover that the young woman in question was the first love of his closest friend. And somehow this was all topped by her words of forgiveness. She wasn't angry with him for the harm he had inflicted on both of them. So yes, he barely knew this girl, Freya, but he knew Merlin. And despite what he claimed, he did care for Merlin's wellbeing.

'I'm sorry to interrupt,' he spoke, his doubts about Freya's presence here as alive as they had ever been. He cared for Merlin's wellbeing, all right, and this girl was clearly making him want things he could never have. 'But if you are dead, how can you be here?'

She wasn't stupid. She had heard his suspicious tone, but she laughed it away. 'I am no dark creature trying to lure your friend to his death, Arthur Pendragon,' she told him.

_Glad to hear it_. 'Then how can you be here?' he demanded, ignoring Merlin's glare at doubting his deceased girlfriend.

'This is the lake of Avalon,' she said, as if that explained it all, which it didn't in Arthur's opinion. He had heard the name and the rumour that mortals were only able to glimpse that realm the moment before they died. But he didn't feel like dying and he had never heard that people buried in the lake could come back alive at will.

'I made a promise to Merlin,' she clarified. 'To repay him for his kindness. The time to fulfil that vow is now.'

These words made more sense. Such a vow, made at a magical lake, now that sounded like something that could actually happen, as much as Arthur hated to admit it. And even better, she had chosen the exact right time to repay Merlin. They needed all the help they could get and Freya didn't seem to be malignant.

He nodded. 'And that sword is going to help?' Despite its spectacular looks, it was still just another sword. Although he had to admit that it had to be something special, seen as there was not the smallest bit of rust on the blade, even after lying on the bottom of a lake for years. He just couldn't see this thing killing Morgause's soldiers.

'It was forged in the dragon's breath,' Merlin pointed out. 'It will do what we want it to.'

That first few words triggered a memory of a story that Geoffrey of Monmouth had once told him when he was just a boy. But that was a story. _So what?_ the memory of Alina's voice said in his head. _When people tell stories, there is usually some ground for it. Stories don't come just falling out of the air, you know._

She was right of course. If he didn't know that by now, Merlin would be right in thinking he was an idiot. He was in a story himself, and so was Merlin. Alina had talked about legend often enough. Not everything was as she had heard it, but there was certainly some ground for her assumptions. Why would this be any different?

So, this sword could very well be forged in the dragon's breath and could therefore very well be capable of killing Morgause's immortal puppets. But that realisation triggered another question and he frowned. 'The dragon as in that huge fire-breathing creature that's hiding somewhere in there?' he questioned, pointing in the direction the dragon had taken as he had left.

Merlin nodded. 'Yes.'

Arthur took a deep breath. 'You never cease to amaze me, Merlin. So far I have heard about a dead girlfriend and a dragon-made blade. Are there other things you wish to tell me?' And here he was thinking there were no secrets anymore. How wrong he had been. And yet, he seriously doubted the warlock kept these secrets on purpose. Knowing Merlin Arthur knew the younger man was likely to have just forgotten to tell.

He got a lopsided grin as a reply. 'I've stolen your keys several times,' he offered.

Arthur grimaced. He pretended to be surprised but really, he wasn't. There had just been one too many escape from the dungeon not to expect Merlin's involvement.

Freya's laughter rang out again, a pure and happy sound. 'We both know you don't need keys, Merlin.'

'Well, what did you expect?' Arthur joked. 'He's an idiot.' He was amazed at his own behaviour. Here he was, exchanging jokes with a dead woman. Was he out of his mind? He quickly changed the subject. 'How do we use that sword?' he demanded.

'The greatest warrior of his time is asking a woman how to use a sword?' Merlin asked in disbelief.

When you phrased it this way, it did sound rather stupid, Arthur had to admit. He had better make sure Alina wouldn't hear it, or he would never hear the end of it. 'It's a magical sword,' he pointed out with all the dignity that he still had left. 'How am I supposed to know? I am not the warlock here.'

Freya laughed again and gave the sword to Merlin. The warlock grabbed it, all wrong of course, and studied it as if he was checking it. Arthur tried not to chuckle. Merlin wouldn't know how to hold a sword, let alone how to check it, except to see how well polished it was. When the examination had finished, he nodded. 'Thank you, Freya. You have no idea how much this means.' Only a fool would doubt the sincerity in his voice.

She smiled. 'I know,' she replied softly. There was definitely going on more here than just two close friends meeting up and Arthur frowned. He didn't think Merlin needed reminding that he actually had a living girlfriend at the moment, but she could certainly do with one. He didn't like the way she talked to him one bit and if he knew Morgana at all, she wouldn't be too amused either.

He was about to comment when Merlin distracted him by handing him the sword.

He looked at it, a bit bewildered. 'You want me to inspect it?' he asked.

Merlin laughed. 'No, I want you to wield it, clotpole,' he replied in a voice that made it clear he thought Arthur was a fool for asking.

'It's a magical sword,' he pointed out again. And he didn't have any magic at his disposal. Shouldn't Merlin be the one to use it? He found that he had never wondered who would use the sword, because he had automatically assumed that would be Merlin. He was the one with magic after all. So yes, Merlin couldn't wield a sword to save his life, he had to admit. So then maybe they would give the sword to Alina, who was a logical next choice. She had both magic and was quite good with a sword. Never once had he considered that he would be the one to get the magical weapon.

Merlin seemed to understand what he meant. 'Yes, but the magic is already in it. You don't have to be magical to use it. And I can fight better with magic than with a sword anyway.'

Arthur frowned. 'Is this about protecting me?'

He betrayed himself by looking vaguely ashamed, but then the trademark grin was back in place. 'What on earth gave you that idea?'

That was confirmation enough. But he let it pass. Merlin seemed to be under the, sometimes very annoying, impression that Arthur got himself into trouble every other day, especially when he wasn't watching over him. That protector's instinct came in handy from time to time, and he had no doubt that giving him the sword was just another wannabe subtle attempt at keeping his butt out of trouble.

He was just thinking of a good way of telling his servant that it was probably time for starting back, when his attention was drawn by Alina's voice in his head. _Arthur? Merlin?_

_Alina?_ he asked.

_The very one_, she replied. _Where are you?_

_At the lake of Avalon_, he replied.

He could almost hear her think and then she gave a mental nod. _I see_. He had no doubt that she really knew what they were doing. _How quick can you make it to the Darkling Woods?_ She tried and failed to keep a panicked tone out of her voice.

Arthur concentrated. He couldn't contact her mind himself, but once the connection was made, he could use it to get inside her head. She tried to shield him, but she was just a second too slow. Arthur got a fleeting impression of a cold, dark forest, running people and a sense of being chased. He didn't need an explanation for this. It was crystal clear what was happening here. It was also his worst fear.

_They're after you?_ he mentally yelled.

She responded with a weak smile that he could feel inside his head. _Very well spotted, Einstein. We had a small problem with leaving Morgause's luxury suites below the castle_, she reported.

Right, this just got better and better. _You broke the prisoners out?!_

_Congratulations, your detecting skills are as good as they ever were_, she thought sarcastically, an attempt at humour in a very dangerous situation. _How long till you can make it here?_

_Well, we came here on the dragon's back_, he told her. _Say half an hour? Can you hold out that long?_

_I thank you not to insult my survival skills,_ she snapped, but he could tell that she was disappointed and scared. A cold shiver went down his spine. It took a lot to make her freak out like that. _Just hurry up, will you? I can't keep flinging them back indefinitely._

_I'll be there_, he promised. He was not going to let anything or anyone harm her. He never paid it much mind, but now he came to realise that he could actually not imagine his life without her somewhere in the picture. He had learned that first during the years of her exile. There was a void in his life that nothing seemed to be able to fill. It hurt more than he dared to admit to himself even now. He was not going to risk that kind of pain again. After today, he vowed, he would never ever let her out of his sight again.

He ended the conversation and turned back to his servant. One quick glance at his face told him all he needed to know. Merlin had heard her plea for help, too.

'We need to go,' he said. '_Now_.'

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**Will Alina and Morgana make a lucky escape? You'll read it next week! Until then!**


	89. Chapter 89

**And there I am again, with a bit of a longer chapter to make up for the shortish one from last week. I hope you enjoy this one; lots of drama, bit of romance (as many readers have been asking for!). Let me know what you think!**

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**Chapter 89**

**Morgana**

Morgana was not the only one making her way towards the secret exit. She had no idea how many keys Alina had gotten hold of, but it had to be quite a lot. Most of the prisoners were knights of Camelot, but she saw also some of Connor's men and, after some searching, Connor himself. The red-headed king looked a bit dirty and positively angry, but he seemed to be healthy and unharmed. At least that was one part of her promise to her friend that she had been able to keep.

There had been something infinitely wrong about leaving Uther at Morgause's mercy, or rather lack of mercy. The woman was ruthless and cruel. How on earth had she not seen that before she had allied herself with her? She couldn't escape the idea that she could have prevented all this mess if she had seen sense then.

And now Uther was going to pay the price for her stupidity. So yes, Morgana still wasn't his biggest fan, but over the last few days she had seen another side to him than the tyrant she had always believed him to be. He cared for his kingdom, he cared for Arthur and apparently he cared for her as well, regardless of her magic. Yes, he had questioned it, had been bitterly disappointed about it, but he had still called her his daughter. He cared enough for her to urge her to go and leave him. He wanted her to live.

That realisation stopped her almost dead in her tracks. Morgana had always feared that Uther would want her killed because of the magic that she possessed. And now, when it came really down to it, he sent her away so that she would stay alive, the complete opposite from what she expected. This didn't do anything to make her feel better about herself and the decision she had made.

'My lady!' Leon's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

'Sir Leon,' she greeted, relieved to see him among the freed prisoners. 'Are you all right?'

'I am fine, my lady.' He seemed to be, or, at least, as fine as one could possibly be after a bloody battle and an involuntary stay in their very own cells. Morgana suspected she didn't look much better.

She spotted a rather large cut on his right arm. 'You are hurt,' she pointed out. 'Let me?'

Any other knight might have been eyeing her warily before reluctantly letting her take a look at the wound, if she was lucky. Most of them would have snapped at her to get away from her. She remembered all too well what it had been like when Alina had only just returned to Camelot. She had no reason to suspect they would take it any better this time.

But Leon wasn't most knights. He extended his arm immediately, even pulling the cloth of his shirt away from the wound. If he had any concerns they concerned her wellbeing and the tolls this would take on her powers. 'There is no need, my lady,' he said. 'You'll need your strength tonight.'

She gave him a quick smile. 'I'm fine,' she assured him. She had told this lie so many times before that it came out effortlessly this time. It must also be the lie that was told most by mankind. But then, it wasn't a complete lie. Physically she _was_ fine. The only thing wrong with her wasn't visible for other eyes.

The wound was a bloody mess. Morgause's hospitality hadn't stretched to medical attention. She supposed they were lucky it wasn't infected. 'Let me?' she asked. She couldn't say why she felt so uncertain of herself. Was it because she was going to perform magic in the very heart of Camelot for everyone to see?

_Oh, come on, get a grip!_ she berated herself, using one of Alina's favourite phrases. _You did far more impressive magic during the actual battle and no one started calling for your arrest then. They're hardly going to do it now._

So she pulled herself together and spoke the spell, loud and clear. Her healing had never been any good, but, as Alina had predicted, her magic always worked better when she was under pressure. When there were really things at risk, she could somehow force herself to achieve things she could never pull off otherwise. She hadn't been able to heal Uther's broken bones, but she could manage something as simple and straightforward as a cutting. And now the wound closed effortlessly under her hands, not leaving as much as a scar as proof that the knight had been injured.

'Thank you, my lady,' Leon said.

'You're welcome,' Morgana replied. It had served another purpose as well, although she wouldn't dream of ever telling him that. He took her mind of the man she recently had discovered was her father, the man she had left in the dungeon. The guilt was gnawing away at her and she half wanted to turn back and literally drag him out of this wretched place. But she knew that she would never manage it and even if she could pull it off, he wouldn't thank her for jeopardising her own safety for his.

Fortunately there was another distraction close at hand. The secret exit came into sight now and Morgana couldn't help but exhale in relief. They'd made it. She was really going to get out of here and, just as Alina had promised, no one had bothered her on her way out.

Her friend stood at the door waiting for them. She ushered the rest of the prisoners outside, telling them to hurry up in a hushed voice. It was as clear as day that she was tense, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. Merlin had begun to refer to that particular state of mind as Alina's crisis mode. As far as Morgana was concerned, that was spot on.

'Morgana!' she said, relieved. 'Thank God, I thought you weren't coming anymore.' She glanced at Leon. 'Good to see you, sir Leon.'

The knight grinned at the Court Sorceress. 'The pleasure is all mine, my lady.'

Alina looked behind them, clearly searching for someone. Morgana had the uncomfortable feeling that she knew exactly who that was.

'Where's Uther?' she demanded. Some might hear an accusation in those words, but Morgana knew it was only worry that made her friend's voice sound so harsh.

'They broke his legs,' she stammered, feeling ashamed. She should not have let him persuade her so easily. She should at least have made one attempt at trying to heal him. She had succeeded in curing Leon. Who was to say that she would have failed with Uther? 'I… I couldn't do it,' she confessed. 'And then he ordered me to leave…' Her voice trailed off, unsure of how to continue, unsure of whether she even should try to continue.

Alina's face predicted trouble, although it wasn't clear for who. 'That stupid honourable fool!' she fumed. 'What was he thinking? Oh, never mind, we're talking about Uther Pendragon,' she answered her own question. 'Thinking had nothing to do with this.'

Morgana frowned. 'What do you mean?'

Alina snorted. 'Uther was thinking with his heart again instead of his brain. He wanted you safe, making him disregard his own safety entirely, again, I might add. Of all the times to start being honourable, he just had to do it now,' she finished under her breath.

'Alina, I'm sorry,' Morgana began.

Alina lifted a hand and she fell silent. 'Don't even go there,' the princess warned. 'This is not your fault.'

'But I left him!' Morgana protested. She realised she _wanted_ Alina to be angry with her. Anger she could handle. She couldn't handle this understanding attitude, not when she was feeling so bad about it herself. Others should feel this bad about it, too.

Unfortunately Alina refused to comply with her wishes. 'Morgana, blaming yourself is really not going to help us here. If anything, you probably made Uther feel happy and gave him some peace of mind by doing as he asked of you.'

Her jaw dropped. How did she do it? Every time she seemed to be able to understand the king without words. 'Are you sure?' she asked softly.

'Oh yes,' Alina growled. 'Right, the two of you are getting out of here, right now,' she added as both of them opened their mouths to object. 'I'm going back for him.'

'No, you don't,' Morgana said decidedly, ignoring the death glare Alina sent her way. 'Not alone.'

'Yes, I am.' Alina's voice made it all too clear that this was non-negotiable. 'And we do not have the time to stand here and discuss it. You two make for the Darkling Woods. Our hide-out is the secret cave close to the fallen oak. You know where that is, right, Leon?'

The knight nodded. 'I do, my lady, but…'

She didn't let him finish. 'Then make sure that you all get there. I'll go back for the king, heal him and then come after you. I'll be quick,' she promised. 'But we do not have much time.' She gave Leon an intense look until the knight nodded.

'I'll look after her,' he vowed.

'You'd better,' Alina threatened.

Morgana only then caught on. 'Wait, what are you doing?' she demanded.

'I'm making sure you are not going to do something stupid,' Alina snapped. 'And in the meantime I have to find a king who's going to be in a whole lot of trouble if we don't get him out in time. Stop wasting my time, Morgana, and just _go_!'

She was about to protest again, because surely she could not let her friend go back there on her own, when an ear-piercing wail reached them. Morgana didn't need any explanation to know whose voice had caused it. There was only one person who could be responsible for that noise: Morgause.

'She knows,' she breathed.

Alina snorted. 'Your observing skills never cease to amaze me, Morgana.' Even though this probably wasn't the time nor the place, Morgana couldn't escape the notice of how much the princess sounded like Arthur in that moment.

'She must be close,' Leon said, a protective edge to his voice. It was as clear as day he wanted the two of them out of here as fast as possible.

'And she must have discovered several prisoners are not where they're supposed to be,' Alina added dryly. Her voice might be sarcastic, her eyes were anything but. She was still in her full crisis mode. 'Okay, change of plan. Let's get the hell out of here.'

'But…' Morgana began again, swallowing the rest of the words as she caught sight of Alina's face.

'Uther's not going to thank you for getting yourself captured again,' she snapped, grabbing Morgana's arm in a death grip, starting to pull her away from the dungeons. 'We'll come back for him, I promise. We just can't do it now. With any luck Morgause isn't too thick to realise Uther's true value. She won't kill him in a hurry, not as long as she can use him as leverage to get at Arthur.' She glanced at his daughter's face. 'Or you, for that matter,' she added.

That distracted Morgana, enough to let the knight and the Court Sorceress led her out of the corridor into the clearing outside the castle. 'What do you mean, me?' she demanded.

'Let's discuss that later, shall we?' Alina proposed, breaking into a run as she noticed the corridor from which they came suddenly bathed in bright light. 'Come on, Morgana, _run_!'

**Alina**

_I'll be there_. Alina forced herself to believe that. She wasn't sure what she was going to do if she let the doubts invade her mind, as they so clearly longed to do. The very thought of Arthur and Merlin not arriving in time was enough to make her freeze into place, so she banished all such thoughts from her head. They would come. Arthur had promised. She clung to that thought as if it was the only thing that kept her alive. She smiled wryly as she realised that it might very well be exactly that.

But she had been running for what felt like ages now. Her lungs were burning, her sides were aching and her legs were cramping. Yet they were still being pursued by Morgause's soldiers, who apparently had no trouble keeping up this exhausting pace. They showed no sign of fatigue, no sign whatsoever that they would give up this hunt anytime soon.

And she knew she couldn't keep going indefinitely. She hadn't slept since before Camelot's invasion, too afraid the enemy would find her if she closed her eyes for more than a few seconds. The adrenaline had kept her awake and alert, it still did, but now she could feel the exhaustion kicking in, at the most unfortunate moment too. She knew she had been awake longer than she should have been, and she also knew that she had used more magic than she was supposed to. She remembered all too well what had happened last time she had drained herself like that. But it was not as if she had a choice in doing what she did now. If she did not fire a spell at their hunters every now and then, they would have been either dead or captured ages ago. Sometimes there were moments that there really was nothing to choose, despite what people in her time always kept going on about there always being a choice. _Well, perhaps there is if they have a death wish._

Morgana was running next to her, but she could see how exhausted the young witch was. She had good a good condition, but she had also been locked up in a cell, been tortured with magic-binding chains. She had read about those cursed things. Not only did they block one's magic, they also made one physically weaker. That was a natural result, because the magic of a sorcerer was closely entwined with their life. It was a part of who they were. For a sorcerer to use those chains on another one of his kind, was a crime beyond any other.

'Are you okay?' she shouted at her friend.

Morgana's face was pale, greyish almost. 'I'm fine.'

_The most frequently used lie_, Alina thought wryly. She didn't push the matter any further. It wasn't as if they could stop and rest anyway. Instead she opted on turning around and making some of Morgause's puppets take a flying lesson. For good measure she also set the ground between them on fire. They couldn't be killed by it, she knew, but she had learned soon enough that it still hurt like hell. That would make those bastards hesitate just a few seconds, hopefully long enough for them to put some distance between them.

_Alina?_ Arthur's voice asked in her head. In that instant, it was the most wonderful sound she had ever heard.

_Arthur!_

_Where are you? I can see a fire. Are you close?_ His voice was a study in panic.

She had not allowed herself to focus on their bond since the escape from the castle, for fear that she would go into a full-blown panic attack if he was still too far away. Now she opened up, reaching for him with her entire being. Relief washed over her as she sensed his presence almost right above her. Of course, they were traveling by dragon.

_I'm right below you_, she informed him. _Any chance of that worthless creature toasting a few of Morgause's pets?_ Now that she knew that help was close, she also recovered her ability to joke.

As she listened closer, she could hear the unique sound of dragonwings on the wind over her own laboured breathing and frantic heartbeat.

_We're coming down_, Arthur announced.

_Where?_ she asked, confused. _There's no clearing anywhere around here!_

The answer to that question came literally dropping out of the sky. Two figures came crashing through the trees, hovered in mid-air for a half a second and then landed smoothly on their feet. Even in the dark Alina could recognise the red cloak of Camelot and the familiar jacket of her best friend.

'Arthur!' she exclaimed at the same time that Morgana loudly realised that one of the two was Merlin.

_Guess that is saying something about our priorities_, was the thought that shot through her head.

Arthur's hand slipped around her waist and he pulled her down to the ground. From the corner of her eyes she could see Merlin do the same to Morgana. Then her mouth filled with the dirt on the ground.

'Duck!' Arthur yelled.

Every fibre of her being screamed at her to get up and run as fast as she could. They were being hunted down. Lying down was the last thing they needed to be doing right now. Only the feel of Arthur's arms around her kept her in place. He knew what he was doing, right?

The next second proved how right she was in that assumption. She heard a whooshing sound only inches over their heads and then the screaming began. Despite Arthur's warning she lifted her head a little of the ground. She found herself staring at an inferno, with Cenred's men right in the very middle of it.

Her brain was still processing what had happened and had only just starting to conclude that Kilgharrah was doing as she had asked when Arthur's hand was yanking her to her feet again, dragging her with him from the scene. 'Run!' he bellowed at the others.

And running was what they did. Alina's legs protested against the very mention of more cross-country racing, but she forced herself to ignore the burning pain, focussing instead on the road ahead and the feel of her betrothed's hand in hers. Something about him made her capable of fighting off the exhaustion a little longer.

She lost all track of time, hearing nothing but her own breathing. The sound of the screaming men had long ago faded into nothing. She might have kept going had Arthur not suddenly skidded to a stop, catching her in his arms, her speed causing them both to crash against a nearby tree.

'We're safe,' he said.

The words were almost magical. They put an immediate stop to her panic. She could think again, something else than _run, run, run_, that is. For the first time since the prince had literally crashed back into her life, she allowed herself to think that they were both safe.

'You came,' were the words that finally found their way to her mouth.

That earned her a lopsided grin in reply. 'Congratulations, your detecting skills are as good as they ever were,' he said, using her own words back at her.

Alina couldn't bring herself to care. Arthur was here and they were both still in a condition to exchange jibes. There had most certainly been moments in the previous hours that she had been sure she would never see him again.

'It would seem so,' she confirmed. Her voice was trembling slightly. All the shock from the last hour finally seemed to kick in.

Without warning he pulled her close to him and kissed her. She could sense his relief as well as her own. _We're here, we're safe_. She let the thought take root in her mind as she clung to him, never wanting to let him go again. The world had turned upside down, but in that very moment she couldn't have cared if it all came crumbling down around her.

'Could you please not do that?' It was Morgana's voice that brought them back to reality in the end.

Arthur released her lips, but still held her practically glued to his side, to which she had no objection whatsoever at that moment. 'I thought I was going to lose you,' he whispered. The fear for her life made his voice harsher than he probably meant. 'Don't ever do that to me again.'

She offered him a weak smile. 'I'll try.'

'Did we lose them?' Leon asked, glancing around him.

Alina followed his example. They found themselves just outside their hide-out near the fallen oak. Somehow they must have lost most of their company while they were running, too preoccupied with getting out alive to pay much attention to their companions. Now they were just here with the five of them: Merlin, Morgana, Leon, Arthur and Alina herself. She was tired, but not too tired to notice that Morgana held on to Merlin's hand as if her very life depended on it. That was good, she supposed. And now Gwaine and Gaius had come out of the cave, bringing their number up to seven.

'Where are the others?' she asked.

Gwaine grinned at her. 'Nice to see you too, my dearest princess.'

She ignored him. 'Arthur?' she insisted.

'I told them to split up,' the prince reported. 'That'll make it harder for them to catch us.'

She nodded. That was something she should have thought of herself, but suddenly her brain felt so uncooperative. 'Not now,' she moaned, recognising the signs. Exactly the same thing had happened last time, in the courtyard during the battle against Cenred and the skeleton army. Part of her had known it would come to this in the end. She had used far too much energy, had slept and eaten too little. It was inevitable that she would break down eventually. She had just hoped she could have kept going a little longer.

'Alina?' The panic effortlessly found its way back into Arthur's voice. His grip around her waist tightened.

That was a good thing, because all of a sudden her legs couldn't carry her anymore and she practically collapsed on the spot. It was only Arthur's quick reflexes that kept her from reacquainting herself with the forest floor.

'Just tired,' she mumbled. She was uncomfortably aware how incoherent she sounded. She was fighting to keep her eyes open, but it took more effort than she liked.

She had indeed chosen the worst moment to have a breakdown. There was hardly a second between the moment they first saw their pursuers and the moment the first arrow barely missed Morgana's shoulder. It shattered against a nearby rock.

She might as well have been injected with adrenaline for the effect that this had. She was suddenly back to full alert, looking around her frantically to locate the source of the attack. That didn't take long, because they were everywhere. Some of them bore the signs of a good burning, and some of them seemed to have escaped the dragon's attack altogether. But that didn't really matter. They were immortal after all. And they would fight, regardless of the physical state they were in.

'Run!' Arthur yelled again.

He didn't need to say that twice. They were already running before the command had come out of his mouth. Alina hardly felt her legs anymore, but her sense of self-preservation was stronger than her exhaustion and she willed herself into motion. But her body was really too drained to keep going much longer. She tripped and fell.

'Alina!' Arthur's scream resounded in her head and heart, his panic and fear pulsing through their connection.

'Mfine,' she muttered. The words sounded blurry even to her. Her surroundings had blurred into nothing more than shapes too. Somewhere in her confused mind she knew she was about to pass out. Of all moments to just drop down she of course had to do it in the very middle of a desperate escape. If they made it out alive she would never again say a word against Uther.

Arthur's agony was the only thing that kept her remotely conscious. Never before had their connection felt so strong, so powerful, or maybe that was because all her barriers had finally come crumbling down. She was too exhausted to keep them in place any longer, like she usually did. Even her eyelids were too heavy to keep up now.

'Wake up!' he yelled in her ear. Something pulled on her arms and suddenly she felt that she was lifted off the ground. Arthur, she knew. Her knight in shining, or rather very muddy armour. He had come for her again.

Her head fell against his shoulder and Arthur tightened his grip on her body, holding her close to him as he started running again. 'I am not leaving you again,' he vowed. 'Never. We're supposed to be together, remember? Come on, Alina, fight this, whatever it is! Stay with me!'

'Sure,' she muttered. Where on earth did he get the idea she was leaving anyway? She tried to force her eyes open. His anxiety had not ceased the moment he had gotten his hands on her. Normally it would have.

She could only just make out the shapes of a small gorge they were fleeing into. The many footsteps she heard behind them indicated that there were a lot of soldiers on their heels. Arthur's face had a determined look on it. Had she not known how terrified he was, she would never have noticed.

'Watch out!' someone called and Alina gathered her last bits and pieces of consciousness to look up at the source of the sound. She could see a shape, but then her body had finally taken enough. She could feel herself slipping away as the rocks came crashing down from above. The world disappeared into darkness.

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**And they're still not out of danger! Until next week!**


	90. Chapter 90

**Hello everyone. I can hardly believe this is chapter 90 already. Seriously, how did this happen? **

**Oh, and I wanted to thank Deewhy for the lovely review, since I couldn't reply by PM. I'm sorry to have robbed you of sleep. It was not my intention. :)  
**

**Anyway, enough of my rambling. Enjoy the chapter and please leave me a review with your thoughts about it.**

* * *

**Chapter 90**

**Merlin**

It was as if Merlin's worst nightmare had come true. He knew he hadn't slowed down the time magically and yet it all seemed to happen in slow motion. First someone had called out a warning. The voice was somehow familiar, but he couldn't put a name to it. And he didn't have the time to do that either, because the warning was soon followed by an avalanche of rocks. And Arthur of course had to be right under it.

The prince looked up, an expression of pure horror on his face. He was still holding Alina's seemingly lifeless form. The princess had collapsed only minutes before. Even without consulting Gaius he knew that she was exhausted, both magically and physically drained. Merlin couldn't remember the last time he had seen her sleep, or eat for that matter, but he doubted she had looked after herself properly. If he would have asked her, he would probably have received an answer along the lines of having something better to do. Gaius had explained to him the possible result of pushing so far across personal limits. Alina could have very well fought herself over the edge.

But if she wasn't dead already, she might be so soon anyway, and so might Arthur. They were right under the rocks and Cenred's soldiers were not far behind them. Safety was only a few paces away, but Merlin knew they were never going to make it.

He had been protecting Arthur for so long that he didn't even think about it now. He just acted, not even thinking about the consequences. Had he done that, he might have feared Morgana's reaction or worried about his own ability to hold up the rocks and throw back the immortal soldiers at the same time. He had no such thoughts now.

He had been moving things with his mind since the moment he had been born. Stopping the rocks in mid-air was a piece of cake. He didn't even need to say the words. The massive stones obeyed his will as if they could read his mind. He then shifted his attention towards their attackers, almost literally throwing his hand forward, shouting the magical command on top of his lungs, not caring who heard them.

Arthur didn't even pay him any attention. He just bolted towards safety, Alina's body in his arms. The soldiers were flung back, but they were quickly coming again. Morgause really had a lot of men at her disposal right now.

He already prepared to attack again, but someone else was quicker. '_Astrice_!' Morgana ordered, her voice as cold as winter. Merlin looked at her immediately, just in time to see her hand pointing at the soldiers and her eyes glowing pure, bright gold as her magic threw them back, away from Arthur and Alina.

She caught him looking at her and smirked. 'What?' she demanded. 'You're not the only one who can save them, you know.'

He could only stare at her, unable to believe that he had just made a joke about their magical activities while she wasn't even supposed to know that he was a warlock in the first place. Such a joke would suggest that she already knew about him, knew it and accepted it. But why hadn't she told him?

'You know?' he whispered.

There was a twinkle in her eyes now as well, making him almost forget why they were here and what they were doing. 'So it would seem,' she said, glancing at the stones that were still hanging in the air. 'Are you going to drop them or shall I?'

Merlin only now noticed Arthur had made it to their small group safely. 'I'll do it,' he decided, muttering the spell, allowing gravity to do its work again. The avalanche cut them off from their pursuers, who shouted in protest and frustration.

Leon looked up at the cliff. 'That was no coincidence,' he stated. 'Someone must have dropped them. Who was that?'

'Don't know,' Gwaine replied. 'But I'm liking them already.'

'Guardian angel?' Morgana guessed with a weak smile.

Merlin snorted. Leave it to Gwaine to see the silver lining in every cloud. Although, when he looked at the Court Sorceress, now lying on the ground, still not moving, he doubted there was something positive about that situation.

'Is she alive?' she asked in an alarmed voice.

Arthur met his eyes, panic written all over his face. 'She's breathing, but only just. What's wrong with her, Gaius?'

'Severe magical and physical exhaustion, sire,' the old physician answered. 'I can't do anything for her now.'

'We need to keep moving,' Leon said. 'It won't take Morgause's men long to find a way around this blockade. We must continue before they are here.'

Arthur's dilemma wasn't hard to guess. He looked at his fiancée, clearly asking himself if traveling on would damage her health in any way.

'If we don't go now, we will all die, Arthur,' Merlin said softly. 'She's not going to thank you for that.'

Arthur nodded, lifting Alina's body gently off the ground again. Only a fool would not notice the tenderness of his movements. The prince wasn't very good at showing his emotions, but there was no mistaking his feelings for the princess now.

'We must hurry!' a voice called down from top of the cliff.

Merlin's head snapped up, looking at the speaker. He had momentarily forgotten about that there must be someone up there who would have brought the rocks down on Cenred's men, and almost on Arthur and Alina. But now his brain registered there had been something awfully familiar about this man's face. Looking up at him now, he knew exactly why that was.

'Lancelot!' he exclaimed.

The man's face split into a wide smile. 'Good to see you, too, Merlin!' His two companions, both of them unknown to Merlin, were already on their way. So was almost everyone else of their little group. Leon was supporting Gaius, Arthur carried Alina. The rest of them were making their way out of the gorge. Everyone, except…

She grabbed his hand. 'Let's go, Merlin,' she said.

Her kind gesture caught him completely unawares. How could she be so kind to him? She had just discovered his best kept secret. She was supposed to hate him! 'Don't you hate me?' he blurted out before he could stop himself, as per usual.

She thought about that for a moment. 'I should, shouldn't I?'

'I think so.' He hesitated a second before saying that. It wasn't that he wanted her to hate him, anything but in fact, but it was to be expected. Had he trusted her with his secret years ago, she might not have joined Morgause in the first place. But, more importantly, had she known of his magic, she would not have been so completely and utterly alone and afraid after Alina's escape from the dungeons. And if he held himself responsible for her misery, how much more would she do that? It would only be natural.

But there was no anger in her eyes, not one bit. Disappointment, yes, there was a little bit of that, but that was about it. There was nothing to suggest she hated him or felt even remotely displeased with his behaviour.

'But I'm not,' she pointed out, which was rather stating the obvious. 'So can we go now?'

But her words had frozen him into place. 'Why?' he asked, unable to move before he had received an answer.

A little smile crossed her face and she shrugged. 'Crisis has the habit to thoroughly reshuffle one's priorities, I guess.' She gave his hand a small squeeze and they ran after the others. Merlin glanced down at their hands, almost making himself trip by not watching the ground. Today he found that he didn't mind appearing clumsy. Morgana was still holding his hand. It led him to believe that maybe everything might just turn out all right in the end.

**Morgana**

They ran. Lately it seemed that they always ran from one thing or another. She was tired and wanted nothing more than a nice bed and enough time to sleep in. They had met with their unexpected saviours a few hours ago and now were traveling, running, with them to a place Arthur believed to be safe.

Lancelot was the only one she remembered from their addition of three, and it had been years since she had seen him. Then there was this tall, but quiet man Lancelot had introduced as Percival, the man who had made the rocks come crashing down. The last man had looked vaguely familiar, so when he introduced himself as Elyan, brother of Gwen, she wasn't really that surprised. They looked a bit alike.

It would seem that Merlin had sent a letter to Lancelot with a plea for help just before Camelot was taken. He had answered that letter by setting out to meet them immediately, accompanied by two friends he had found in Cenred's kingdom. How three men were going to make a difference in their quest to take back Camelot was a mystery to her, but she didn't dare say it.

Besides, she had other things on her mind. She was reunited with Merlin and knew she had to admit that she knew about him soon. He had shown his magic right in front of her, without as much as a doubt, and she could tell that he was puzzled by her calm reaction to it. Nonetheless, he had not let go of her hand ever since they had left the blockade and she could not help but feel reassured by that.

But Merlin wasn't her main concern now. She glanced at the motionless form of the Court Sorceress in Arthur's arms, who was barely breathing. Her skin was not just pale, but in the early morning light it had a grey shade to it. Morgana knew that Alina had exhausted herself, both physically and magically. It had happened before, after the battle with Cenred's troops and the skeleton army. Back then she had found herself wishing the princess would never wake again. But that was when she had still been with Morgause. Now she was desperately hoping everything would be all right in the end, as Alina herself would never tire of saying.

The effect her condition had on Arthur was dramatic. Arthur wasn't the kind of person to worry or even despair, yet that was what he was doing now. Morgana could see it in his eyes. He was afraid to lose her.

'It will be fine, Arthur,' she told him, falling in step beside him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

'How do you know, Morgana?' he demanded, his voice harsh, harsher than he had meant probably.

'She's a fighter,' Morgana replied, looking at her friend's face, trying to ignore the impression how lifeless she looked and how shallow her breathing was. 'She pulled through this before. And she won't let you down.'

'I can't lose her,' Arthur whispered. 'I can't.' The desperation in his voice was unmistakable now.

'I know,' she replied. 'But even if you did, you can't give up.'

Arthur glared at her for even thinking such a thing, let alone say it out loud.

'You can stop glaring at me, Arthur Pendragon!' she snapped. 'I'm just saying what she would tell you, were she awake. She won't thank you for giving up. She'd probably tell you that it isn't your destiny to throw in the towel and mourn her for the rest of your life.'

Arthur snorted. 'It's like I hear father talking to me.'

She looked away. 'Well, he's my father as well,' she muttered. This was not the ideal way to tell him that, but she needed it off her chest.

To her surprise Arthur sighed and whispered something that sounded like _I know_.

'Sorry?'

'I know,' he repeated, a little louder this time. 'We were all there, hidden, when that witch crowned Cenred, when they told you.'

Morgana couldn't help but feel relieved. The very fact that Arthur knew that she was his half-sister and had not freaked out made her feel better. _Or he just hasn't freaked out in front of you_, the annoying voice in the back of her head spoke up. _You don't know what happened when he first found out._

'Oh,' she said, unable to think of something else to say. And what was she even supposed to say? What were the words you spoke when you found out that the guy you had known all your life suddenly turned out to be your brother? And the whole thing became infinitely more awkward because Arthur had been under the impression she had had a crush on him for years.

Arthur's thoughts appeared to have been following the same lines. 'And to think that you used to fancy me,' he muttered.

'I did not!' she protested loudly.

The hint of a smile graced his face. The worry and despair were still obvious in his eyes, but they were less intense than they had been only a minute ago. Now she understood why Merlin played the idiot on purpose from time to time. It kept the Once and Future King from depression. 'There's no shame in admitting,' he teased. 'You liked me.'

'Less and less by the second,' she told him. She had used those words before, but in times like this there was no harm in falling back on them, especially when Arthur was his charming and very annoying self. And right now she didn't mind her brother's teasing. She would do anything to keep that look of absolute despair from his face. It was quite frightening to see, even more so because it was so unlike Arthur to be anything but his usual happy-go-lucky, arrogant, loud-mouthed self.

_Come on, Alina, you've _got_ to live_, she thought, hesitantly directing her thoughts at her friend on the off chance she could actually hear her. _He won't survive without you, no matter what we tell him. _

She knew that was true. Once upon a time she would have doubted that the death of one person could completely destroy another. She didn't think that now. She only had to look at Arthur to know that he wouldn't ever be the same if Alina should die now.

And, if she was being honest and analysing anyway, she wasn't completely sure what would become of her if Merlin was killed. Ever since Merlin had come back into her life a few hours ago, she hadn't let him out of her sight for longer than ten seconds. She could see him walk now, several meters ahead of her, talking to Lancelot in a hushed voice. She had caught him a few times looking over his shoulder, glancing back at her. Every time his gaze met hers, he smiled encouragingly.

'Merlin likes you,' Arthur remarked, when he saw his servant do it again.

Maybe she had had doubts about the truth of that statement once, she most certainly had them when Alina had first told her, but there was something in the warlock's eyes that left no room for doubts. It had a feeling of meant to be to it, even though Alina had kept quiet about this particular subject.

'I know,' she replied. When she had still been locked up in the dungeon, she had thought she would shout and yell when they met again, even though in her heart she had already forgiven him for not telling her about his magic much earlier. But here she was, almost physically incapable of doing anything else than smiling at him. And maybe it was as she had said before: crisis did have an interesting way of reshuffling one's priorities. And frankly, she didn't want to waste any more time. They had wasted so much already and God knew how much time they still had. There was still an immortal army to defeat, after all.

'You knew about his magic, didn't you?' she asked softly.

He at least had the decency to look ashamed. 'Yes.'

'Charming,' she commented.

'I told him to stay away from you,' he told her.

Her heart skipped a beat. If Arthur had found the need to comment on Merlin's behaviour towards her, it meant that Merlin must have been giving off signals that he wanted to be near her. The more she discovered, the more plausible Alina's assumptions became. Oh, this was just ridiculous. She fell in love with the man she was supposed to hate for everything he had done to her, poisoning being one of those things. Was she going insane?

'If I know him at all he didn't listen,' she replied, trying to keep her tone light, not revealing how happy his words made her. _Really, Morgana? Of all emotions to feel right now, you're choosing to be _happy_?_

Arthur reacted to the banter immediately. 'Of course he didn't,' he grinned at her.

She frowned. 'You're not angry about it?' She knew he was still not convinced, not really, that she had come back to his side. If anything, she had expected him to be suspicious of her at the very least. There was no way she could have predicted that he was going to be so relaxed about something that must be so horrible in his eyes. Morgana knew Arthur considered Merlin his best friend, even though he would rather die a painful death than admit that to anyone other than himself. Some time ago he got it into his head that it was his job to protect Merlin and in this case he would need protecting from her.

He glared at her. 'Let's just say that something happened recently and that changed my mind.'

Morgana's eyebrows raised a little higher as she wondered what on earth he meant and she was about to ask about it, when she realised something was off. It was too silent. Oh, there were sounds, all right, but there was one particular sound that had suddenly gone missing. She just couldn't identify what it was, until she looked at Alina.

'Arthur?' Her voice sounded strained with the sudden panic.

He studied her closely, a worried look on his face. 'Are you all right, Morgana? You look like you've just seen a ghost.'

She swallowed. 'It's Alina. I think she stopped breathing…'

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**Please don't kill me? Until next week!**


	91. Chapter 91

**Hello, dear readers. Here's chapter 91 for you. I know it's a day early, but I finally had some time for writing again (the exams and paper are finally out of the way) and I felt bad for you having left you on that cliff-hanger last time. Thanks by the way for the reviews. Eight reviews for one chapter? I think that's a new record. Maybe I should write cliff-hangers like that more often…**

**Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

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**Chapter 91**

**Merlin**

'_Merlin_!' Morgana's panicked call penetrated both his ears and his mind as she called out to him with both her normal and her mental voice.

He stopped dead, stopping halfway through a sentence, turning on the spot. The sight that met him was an alarming one to say the least. Arthur was lifting Alina's motionless body to the ground, pure and unmasked horror written all over his face. He didn't need a connection to his feelings to know that the prince was absolutely terrified. Morgana stood next to him, in the process of bending down as well, her face as white as a sheet.

This was bad. This was very bad. He glanced at Alina's unconscious form, searching for something that could justify such a reaction. His quick examination revealed nothing.

'What is it?' he demanded, his voice tense. He ran over to where they were sitting, Morgana's obvious fear making him run twice as hard as he thought he could.

'It's Alina. She stopped breathing!' Morgana bit her lip.

Merlin's eyes immediately focused on his friend, searching for proof of Morgana's words, hoping he wouldn't find it. But he did find it. There was no rising and falling of her chest, nothing at all.

Gaius had warned him last time this could happen. In theory this was something that could happen to him, too, so that was why the old physician had told him about it. Because his magic was so closely bound to who he was, to his very life, exhausting himself magically, especially when he also paid too little attention to his other needs, could just kill him. Of course, since he was supposedly the most powerful warlock ever, he didn't have the risk of exhausting himself that way very easily. Alina was far more vulnerable. _And far too selfless for her own good_, he thought wryly. As soon as her friends were in some kind of trouble, all thoughts about her own wellbeing went overboard. Had she not realised what this meant, not only for her, but for Arthur as well?

He checked for a pulse, even though he already knew he wouldn't find any. Her heart had stopped. And he may be a powerful warlock, but he couldn't reverse death itself, not as long as Morgause had the Cup of Life anyway, using it for her own twisted ends. But even if he had the Cup within arm's reach, he would be hesitant to use it. He knew Alina well and she would most definitely not thank him for doing that. Once upon a time he hadn't understood that, but the whole unfortunate affair with the Cup and Nimueh years ago had made him see her point, no matter how hurting it was.

_Who said anything about magic? Aren't you a physician as well?_ The almost mocking voice in the back of his head startled him, especially since it seemed to speak with Alina's voice. He knew it wasn't her, but the shock forced him to think again.

And then he gasped. Not all was lost. Of course it wasn't. The voice in his head was right. He was a physician, or one in training anyway. And he remembered. He remembered Alina's first year in Camelot, when she had spent countless hours in Gaius's chambers, learning about healing, and teaching them the little she knew in return.

There had been one day one of the townspeople had come in complaining about something. It was one of those rare days that Arthur had been too busy with his own business to give him many time-consuming chores and he had been able to join Gaius and Alina as they examined the patient. He remembered how shocked he was when said patient suddenly collapsed. Gaius had felt for a pulse, and had solemnly told them there wasn't one. The man had died, right under their very noses.

'Nonsense,' Alina had snapped. She had pushed Gaius out of the way, knelt down beside the dead man and started pushing on his chest, silently counting her movements. From time to time she also blew her breath into his mouth. At first it looked like kissing and Merlin really had to fight the urge not to be disgusted, but soon he understood what she was doing and then he had been amazed. He had even been more in awe when the patient suddenly gasped for air and opened his eyes again, confused as to what had happened, but very much alive. As far as Merlin knew he still was.

'You… you revived him!' he had stammered.

She shook her head, smiling. 'Nope, just standard First Aid training.'

All this went through his head in a matter of mere seconds. Alina was still not breathing, Arthur still looked like he had lost the most valuable thing on earth to him and Morgana looked still absolutely horror-struck, but in that same second, everything else had changed for Merlin.

'Out of the way,' he ordered. He was a bit surprised that it was actually his voice that sounded so cold and demanding, but this was really not the time to ponder that.

'What?' Arthur said unintelligently.

'Out of the way,' he repeated. When Arthur didn't do it immediately, he just shoved him out of the way. The fact that the prince had not been expecting this, at all, made that he hardly protested. Time was of the essence now, Merlin knew. It wouldn't do to sit here and explain it. He just needed to act.

'What are you doing?' Arthur demanded as Merlin placed his hands on Alina's chest, the way she had shown him years ago. He pushed all doubts from his mind. It didn't matter that it had been years since she explained this to him, he just had to get this right. This was one of those times that he just couldn't afford to fail.

'Saving her life,' he snapped. 'Stand back.'

And he began, counting silently the way she had done. He could hear a mantra forming in his head. _Please live, please live, please live_. He worked to its rhythm, blocking out the rest of the world. He was only just vaguely aware of Morgana restraining Arthur when the prince demanded to know what the hell was going on as Merlin blew his breath into Alina's lungs. _Please live, please live, please live._

Time lost all meaning. In hindsight he wouldn't be able to say whether he had been doing this for ten seconds, ten minutes or ten hours. His entire world had shrunken into the small space their bodies took up, the task at hand the only thing at his mind. _Please live, please live, please live. Come on, Alina, wake up!_ The silent plea in his head almost found its way to his mouth. Fear of failure, despair even, lurked in the corners of his mind, fighting to break free and make him give up.

_I won't_, he vowed silently. _I will not give up_. The stakes were just too high for him to throw in the towel and admit defeat. There had been too many people in his life he had not been able to save. His father, Freya… He wasn't going to lose Alina too, not while he had a say in it. And it would seem that he had. This wasn't over.

He was all too aware of what would happen if he lost this fight. It all played out before his mind's eye as he fought for his friend's life. Arthur would become a shadow of his former self, giving up entirely. Camelot would be lost without a leader left to fight for it. And if Camelot was lost, so would the prophesised future be. Destiny would fail. Without Arthur there would never be an Albion. And without Alina Arthur would never do what he was meant to do. And that was something he could not stand for. The price for failure was much too high.

And so he went on, even though a little voice in his head told him it was hopeless. _No, it's not!_ he snarled at it, forcing his mantra to take up all his brain again in an attempt to block out the voice of doubt, that kept trying to present itself as the voice of reason. _Please live, please live, please live_. He sent his prayer to every god in the universe prepared to listen, prepared to listen and do something, _anything_.

And then the miracle happened. Alina gasped, her eyes fluttering open, darting around her, obviously confused as to what had happened here. Finally her gaze settled on him. 'Merlin?' her voice was a bit hoarse and far too feeble for his liking, but the very fact that she spoke again, made him feel like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. 'What happened?' She tried to sit up, but lacked the strength. 'Why am I on the ground?'

'Alina!' Arthur's shout of joy and relief saved Merlin from having to give an answer to that question. The prince knelt down, knocking Merlin out of the way in the process, and caught his not-so-dead fiancée in a bearlike hug. 'I thought I'd lost you.' Unless Merlin was very much mistaken there were tears in Arthur's eyes.

'Let me help you up,' Morgana said, offering him her hand. There was a soft, admiring smile on her face. 'You did a miracle, Merlin.'

He felt it necessary to put that right. 'It was just something Alina taught me some years ago,' he shrugged. 'It wasn't such a big deal.' After all, it hadn't been his idea, not really, so it would be unfair to take the credit for it.

'Yes, it was,' someone argued. The young warlock looked up to see sir Leon looking at him with that same mix of relief and admiration on his face. The kind knight had been a bit wary ever since he so dramatically had revealed his magic by stopping the avalanche from falling on top of Arthur and Alina, but all that distrust had apparently vanished now that he had saved Alina's life. 'You saved her life, Merlin. We all owe you for that.'

'Really, it was nothing,' he repeated, feeling his cheeks flush. He came to the surprising conclusion that he didn't actually like being in the centre of all the attention.

'Yes, it was,' someone else protested.

Everyone turned to see who it was that had spoken. They found themselves looking at Alina's face. She was still too pale to be declared healthy, but at least the grey tone had gone from her skin. Arthur had his arms wrapped around her protectively as he helped her sit up. Merlin had a feeling he was not going to let her go anytime soon. He also had a feeling that as soon as Alina had rested properly she was going to find that annoying within a matter of minutes.

He cracked a smile, brushing away the tears of relief that had somehow managed to escape his control. 'Nope, just standard First Aid training,' he replied.

She let out a weak laugh. 'My own words used against me,' she commented, shaking her head, after which she tried and failed to suppress a huge yawn from escaping. 'Oh, I'm sorry. But you did save my life, Merlin. And like Leon said, I owe you.'

Maybe he would be better off not pursuing that point. There was no way of talking their friends out of these ridiculous ideas, it would seem. So instead he chose to kneel down again so their eyes were at the same level. 'Are you tired?' he asked, before quickly adding: And don't even think about saying _I'm fine_, because if you do that I might just kill you.'

Arthur's murderous glare told him that wasn't funny, but Alina laughed. 'I'm just tired, but nothing I can't manage. I'll be fine.'

The expression on Arthur's face told Merlin he wasn't the only one who was none too pleased with that answer.

'You can sleep, you know,' he told her quickly. 'Arthur won't mind carrying you, right Arthur?'

Normally he would have received an icy stare, but not today. 'Of course not,' the prince said.

It was proof of just how tired she was that she didn't fight it any further. 'If you're sure,' she muttered, her eyelids already falling shut.

'I am,' Arthur said decisively.

The princess had dozed off before the words had even left his mouth.

**Alina**

When she woke again, her head felt remarkable clearer than it had in days, or weeks even. The last few days it had felt like a confusing and very unpleasant place to be. At a certain point in time she had even the strangest sensation of it not being quite attached to the rest of her body anymore. But now it was back where it was supposed to be, on her shoulders and ready to do all the thinking she hadn't been able to do before.

Still, the events of the last day still felt blurry and unclear to her. She directed her mind back to the last point she could remember clearly. That would be the prison break and the desperate escape that followed it, she assumed. At some point she must have passed out, but how and when that was the question. She couldn't remember any of it, at all.

She had woken up at some point, she recalled, surrounded by very relieved looking people and a very uncomfortable looking Merlin in the middle of it all, his cheeks flushed bright red and giving the, probably very right, impression of wanting to sink through the floor to avoid all the attention and admiring looks everyone was giving him.

She frowned. There had been something infinitely strange about all of that. Arthur had almost suffocated her with his hug, whispering something along the lines of how he thought he had lost her. And then there were Morgana and Leon going on about how he had saved her life. She didn't know the specifics then, but she had no doubt that they were right. It would be the natural thing to do for Merlin. Maybe he had snatched her away from bandits or Morgause's soldiers. Yes, that would be it.

She shifted as she realised that something was sticking in her back, making her rather uncomfortable. Slowly she was becoming more aware of where she was and what was going on around her. She was lying on what felt like a very hard rock, with just a blanket underneath her to take the edge of it. And she wasn't alone. She could hear people breathing. One of them was sitting on her right, another on her left and she was certain that he was asleep. She was also certain that it was Arthur. After all, there was only one person alive who could snore like that.

She opened her eyes and sat up, feeling very pleased with herself that she was able to do so without any help. The person to her right immediately shot up.

'Alina!' he exclaimed.

She offered him her I'm-perfectly-all-right smile. 'Hey, Merlin.'

He replied with one of his Merlinish smiles. 'It's good to have you back.'

'I'm sure.' She glanced around her, taking in her surroundings. No wonder she had been so uncomfortable. She was lying in the middle of an abandoned room that looked like it hadn't been inhabited for ages. It was dusty and in ruins. She could see parts of the morning sky through the damaged ceiling. But at least she knew where she was. Of course she knew. It was hard not to after watching the series so many times. 'I take it we made it then?' she asked, rather unnecessarily.

He studied her face. 'You know where we are?'

Alina opted on snorting by way of a reply. 'I think you're forgetting who I am and where I come from.'

'So, we're still on legend's way?' Merlin checked.

Alina glanced around her, her gaze settling on Arthur's sleeping form. The prince had fallen asleep with his back against the wall, his head dropped onto his chest, snoring softly. She smiled a little. Arthur didn't give her much opportunity to watch him sleep. Doubtlessly that would change once they were married.

That reminded her of something. 'How long was I out?' she asked.

'Two days,' Merlin replied. 'Alina, are you all right?'

Her face had taken on quite a grim expression, she imagined, but she shrugged it off. Now was most definitely not the time to start wallowing in self-pity. 'It's nothing,' she said. 'Really, Merlin, I'm fine.'

Merlin didn't buy it. 'What's wrong, Alina? Are you feeling unwell?'

She settled for grimacing at him. 'I. Am. Fine,' she pointed out. 'It's bad enough Arthur will go all emotional and concerned on me. I'm not sure I can actually handle it from you as well. I was just remembering something, is all.' She stretched her limbs. Her muscles protested loudly, but she ignored them. Now was not the time to sit around and do nothing, nor was it the time for the kind of conversation Merlin clearly wanted to have with her. 'I just hate the thought of having to postpone the wedding again.'

Had everything been the way she wanted it, today would have been her wedding day. She would have gotten up early, being fussed over by Gwen and Morgana until she looked the best she possibly could and then she would have been brought to the hall, with trumpets announcing her arrival. She would have walked down the aisle with Connor, because as her brother it was his job to give her away. She would smile widely at Arthur and he would smile back at her. Geoffrey of Monmouth would have performed the actual ceremony, of which she would not have heard a word, she didn't doubt. In the end he would have announced them husband and wife. But no, instead she spent her supposed wedding day on the run, _again_ she might add. But at least she had Arthur with her this time, so she swallowed her disappointment and the tears that had effortlessly found their way to her eyes. This was not the time. And if she understood destiny at all, it would take care of itself. One day she would get married to Arthur Pendragon, just not today.

'I am fine,' she repeated when she saw Merlin was planning on doing exactly what she didn't want or need him to do: go all emotional on her. 'Where are the others?'

Her distraction worked. 'The other room. Arthur said you needed undisturbed rest.'

She raised an eyebrow. 'By the looks of it, so did he.'

That caused him to chuckle. 'It's really good to have you back, you know.'

'I believe you said so before,' she remarked.

He shook his head. 'No, I mean, we've got the real you back,' he clarified, although it still didn't make this any clearer to her.

'Whereas I wasn't real before?' She raised an eyebrow in question.

He coloured a bright crimson in embarrassment. 'No, I didn't mean it like that. I mean, you were different. Not as…' He searched for the right word. 'Optimistic as before.'

She huffed. 'This just gets better and better.' But the reply wasn't serious. To prove it she grinned at him.

She knew very well she hadn't exactly been her everything-is-going-to-be-fine self for the last couple of days, weeks even, she guessed. The tension that accompanied this big event, as Merlin still called it, had turned her into a snappy, taciturn woman ever since she had first guessed Leon's absence was more than just a detour on the way home. And still things weren't exactly looking rosy. But her prison break had gone well, kind of well anyway. Of course discovery by Morgause had not been included in her plans. But she had gotten the prisoners out and they had gotten away from Cenred's bloodhounds. In her opinion that was enough reason to be at least slightly pleased with herself.

'So, what have you been up to while I was playing Sleeping Beauty?' she inquired.

Merlin frowned and she realised just a second too late he wouldn't understand the reference to the to her so well-known fairy tale. It didn't happen very often anymore, but sometimes she would say or do something that her medieval friends had no knowledge of, resulting in blank faces and confused looks.

'Never mind,' she told him when she saw he was about to ask an explanation. 'What have you been doing?'

Merlin shrugged. 'Watching over you mainly,' he replied.

Now it was her turn to frown. They were supposed to be busy with the preparations to take back Camelot, not sitting on their backsides doing nothing. If she had heard him correctly, that was what they had been doing. Because honestly, watching her sleep was just another way of saying they hadn't done a thing.

'Watching over me?' she repeated, her voice low, dangerously low. How could they? There was a crisis going on! They had other and better things to do. 'How about preparing to kick Morgause and Cenred out of Camelot? Tell me you've at least discussed some strategies?'

Merlin's face was all the answer she needed.

'Great!' she exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air in despair. 'This just keeps getting better, doesn't it?' That, of course, was a rhetorical question.

Merlin, however, got angry. 'Can you blame us?' he demanded. 'Can you really?' Yes. 'We had to make sure that you didn't die again.'

That stopped her dead. 'What are you talking about?' she demanded. 'What do you mean: didn't die again?'

Some kind of understanding dawned on his face. 'You don't remember?' he asked in a disbelieving voice.

'Don't remember what exactly?' she asked. 'Merlin, feel free to start making sense, because I have honestly no idea what you're talking about.'

'You died,' he said bluntly. 'On the road. Morgana said you suddenly stopped breathing.'

She blinked. 'What?' But her mind was working at top speed. She had spoken the truth when she had told her friend she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about and neither did she remember a thing about dying. But she did remember how relieved everyone had looked when she had come round that first time since passing out. And she also remembered that everyone had looked at Merlin like he had done some kind of miracle. Even the words he had spoken made sense now. Standard First Aid training? That had been her words when she had first reanimated that man in Gaius's chambers. Was that what Merlin had done for her now? 'You did reanimate me, didn't you?' she blurted out.

'Yes.' And if that wasn't all the confirmation she needed, his cheeks also flushed again. Like her, he had no idea what to do with people's praise.

'Standard First Aid training, eh?' she teased, before going back to a more serious tone. 'Thank you, Merlin. You did save my life back there, I guess, so thanks. I owe you, a lot.' She glanced at the still sleeping prince. She had made enough noise to wake the dead with her outburst just now, but no way that could have woken Arthur Pendragon. Well, no real surprise there. 'I hope Arthur has thanked you as well.'

Merlin's face split into his happy grin. 'He did,' he nodded. 'After threatening to have me beheaded if I kissed you one more time.'

That got a laugh out of her. 'I bet.' She got to her feet. Although she understood now why they hadn't wanted to leave her alone, the fact that they had done nothing to take Camelot back in the two days they had been here was still utterly inexcusable. It was time for some action, time to kick the intruders out of Camelot. 'You wake this prince Charming here,' she told Merlin. 'And I go and see whether the others feel like waking.'

There was a hopeful look in the warlock's eyes. 'You have a plan?' he asked.

'Legend has a plan,' she corrected. 'And it's about time we started carrying it out.'

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**I'm going on a little holiday Thursday, but I'll try to upload all my stories one time before then. No promises, though, but I'll really, really try.**


	92. Chapter 92

**Hello everyone, here's chapter 92. I made it before the holiday! Think of it as a Christmas present. Having said that, I'm not sure how happy I am with this chapter. It's quite dark at some points, I think, a lot darker than I usually write, so please let me know how well (or not) I did.**

**Enjoy reading and a very merry Christmas to all of you!**

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**Chapter 92**

**Alina**

Alina looked at the table she had heard so many stories about ever since she was a kid. The Round Table, an object of myth, she knew. And here she was, looking at it. You'd think she would be used to seeing the legend for real, but still she was filled with wonder every time something like this happened.

She had been too preoccupied by the sight of the table to hear her betrothed coming and she only noticed his presence when he wrapped his arms protectively around her waist. 'You shouldn't wander off alone.'

She bit back a snort of annoyance. Arthur meant well, but it wasn't as if she got into trouble as soon as she left his sight. 'And what do you think could happen to me here?' she inquired, forcing herself to keep the irritation from her voice. She had given him the shock of a lifetime by dying after all. He was entitled to feel a little protective, she guessed. 'Trapped beneath falling rubble, abducted by Morgause, attacked by a yet unspecified creature or all of the above? I won't get myself hurt here, you know. And I don't think Morgause will attack me either. This is an abandoned castle, remember?'

He at least had the decency to look guilty. 'I don't want to see you harmed again,' he said. Only a fool wouldn't hear how much he meant that. Arthur Pendragon didn't do emotions in public, but apparently her recent near-death experience had changed that attitude. That and the very real possibility of both of them dying in their attempt to take Camelot back.

'I know,' she therefore replied.

'What's so special about that table anyway?' he demanded.

Alina gave him a gentle nudge. 'Like you don't know,' she shot back. 'Didn't the ancient kings of Camelot have one, so that no one would be more important than the others?'

'Gaius gave you history lessons?' he wondered.

She shook her head. 'Nope, just another thing legend taught me.' She half turned to look at him. 'You are going to use it, aren't you?'

Annoyance now graced his features, but Alina had long ago stopped thinking that irritant. Now, she decided, he looked kind of cute. 'Can you read my mind as well as my feelings?' he demanded.

She bit her lip trying to keep the smile at bay. 'Did you already knight our new friends?' she probed.

'Merlin's been talking to you, hasn't he?' Arthur exclaimed, which was an answer in and out of itself.

'I take it that means yes.'

Arthur was saved from having to give a reply to that question by the others entering the room. Alina gently removed Arthur's hands from her person and greeted her friends. Morgana hugged her, Leon bowed and kissed her hand, Lancelot did the same (ever the courteous one, that man), Merlin just grinned, Gwaine just said 'Good to see you, princess' and Percival and Elyan shook hands with her, unsure of how to behave. Alina had to work her hardest not to treat them like they were old friends. She "knew" them from the series, but they had no idea who she was. Sometimes that really was frustrating.

She let Arthur help her into a chair. She smiled faintly as she remembered that once upon a time she might have wished Gwen would be able to sit here being looked at with such a loving gaze as Arthur was now sending her way, but she found she could no longer want that. She had accepted her destiny. And somehow destiny had deemed it necessary for her to be at Arthur's side, loving him with every fibre of her being. And now she wouldn't have it any other way.

Still, she did feel sorry for the young serving girl from time to time. She was being robbed of a chance to be queen and she didn't even know it. Perhaps that was better than knowing, but it didn't change the fact that if Alina had never come to Camelot, it would have been Gwen sitting here.

But that wasn't meant to be and never had Alina felt that as strongly as now. There was a sense of meant to be. It hung in the air and it pulsed through her connection with Arthur too. It was like everything that was ever meant to be, everything the legends had spoken of, was finally coming together in one last fight of good versus evil, racing towards an ending that had been foretold for centuries.

Maybe that was the very reason why so many episodes of the series as she knew it had simply not happened. Maybe that was also why Mordred had already entered the stage so soon, so much earlier than the legends would have had her believe. The final fight would not take place on the plains of Camlann, but within Camelot's very walls. It was wasn't her knowledge telling her this. It was a feeling deep down. Destiny had grown impatient and wanted to see things decided. When they fought tomorrow, they would either die and all legends would die with them or they would win and bring the future of Albion into being.

_You all right?_ Merlin's mental voice interrupted her thoughts. _You look like you're miles away._

_I was,_ she thought back. _But I'm fine_, she added, knowing what he had wanted to ask.

_What were you thinking about?_ he asked.

_Fate, destiny, prophecies_, she summarised her pondering. _Do you get the feeling too? Do you feel as well that this is the moment when all will be decided, for better or for worse?_

He nodded. _I thought it was just me, but it all starts coming together, doesn't it? Everyone knowing about my magic, Arthur accepting it, the two of you closer than ever before, Arthur acting like a real leader…_

_Let's not forget the Round Table and its knights, Morgana being good and Arthur having Excalibur_, she finished. _The sword_, she clarified when Merlin gave her the mental equivalent of a quizzical look. _That's what the legend says is its name. _

_Ah._

Both of them returned their attentions to Arthur, who announced he had decided to rescue his father from Camelot's dungeons. That was two days late in Alina's opinion, but she decided to keep her mouth shut. No doubt everyone already knew her thoughts on that particular subject after the shouting match she had with Arthur over it earlier. She would have been surprised the people in Camelot hadn't heard it.

If she was really honest there had been no reason, no _real_ reason, to fly off the handle like that, but her frustration over the in her eyes unnecessary delay, the fear for Uther's life and her own irritation over Arthur's protectiveness had all combined into a tongue-lashing neither Arthur nor any others present would soon forget. Elyan still looked warily at her, obviously half expecting her to turn them all into toads or something when they did something that displeased her.

Alina could only just keep herself from snorting. Like she would ever do anything of the sort. Sure, it was tempting, and somehow even more so after she had learned Arthur's new way to shut her up. The reckless idiot had just kissed her full on the mouth the moment she took a breath between sentences. Her body had betrayed her and she had kissed him back, feeling her anger melt away in half a second's time. There was just no way she could stay mad at him when he did that. And even though she was still not agreeing with him on the delay in taking back Camelot or the way he had smiled, no, _smirked_ was the word she was looking for, as he had let go of her after their kiss-that-ended-the-argument-in-a-very-cheating-kind-of-way at her. She just would get back to that another moment, preferably after they saved Camelot and came out of it alive.

Now she was filled with pride as she heard him talk as the king she knew he would one day become. And she heard the vows the knights made in return, all of them copied straight out of the show. Or that was what she might have thought if they had actually known the show. As it was she was once again wondering how on earth it was possible for the writers to get these little details right. Mind you, they got a hell of a lot wrong, but this kind of thing they had done well.

Her interest sparked when Arthur looked at Morgana, one of the two people that had not been at this meeting in the original show. Green eyes and blue eyes locked together. Alina suspected they talked with their minds for several seconds, but she didn't listen in. This was too private, between the two of them. She knew Arthur had had big trouble getting himself to even believe Morgana was back on their side. It took him even more time to learn to trust her again after everything that had happened. But now, sitting here waiting, sensing his emotions through their connection, she felt how he made a decision to do what he had so long refused to do: trust the woman who turned out to be his sister, welcome her into his family. This assumption was strengthened by Morgana's soft smile and the relief and joy in her eyes.

'You know whose side I am on,' she simply said before a mischievous twinkle appeared in her eyes. 'And you have to agree someone's got to show you how it's done.'

Arthur ignored that bold claim, but he smiled nonetheless before turning to his fiancée. Alina could see the question, uncertainty even, written in his eyes and the encouraging words died on her lips. 'Do you even have to ask?' she scoffed.

Apparently he had to. 'Will you be at my side?'

She had no idea where that came from. It wasn't like she was going to flounce out on him any second now, was it? 'Where else am I going to be?' she demanded, her voice harsh because of the irritation she still felt. 'Twiddling my thumbs in this draughty place?'

That made him colour bright crimson in something that was probably shame mixed up with a little humiliation. But it was his own fault, Alina thought. He shouldn't have doubted her loyalties or her ability to hold her own in a fight, which was probably what all this was about.

The prince turned towards his servant. 'Merlin?'

The warlock followed the same path as Morgana had done. 'No, I don't really fancy it,' he told the Once and Future King.

Arthur huffed. 'You don't have a choice, Merlin.'

Merlin's biggest smile told them all what they already knew: that he'd go with them to the mouth of hell if need be. Not even his non-committed 'Okay' could fool them into thinking otherwise.

'Thank you,' Arthur said. 'All of you. The task before us is a dangerous one. Morgause has magic and she has an immortal army at her disposal. To rob her of that army we need to empty the Cup of Life of the blood it contains. This object will be well protected, but we have to try in order for us to save my father and the citizens of Camelot from the tyranny and terror Cenred and Morgause have subjected them to. I cannot guarantee your safety, I cannot guarantee that we will all come out of this alive. All I know is that it has to be done. Neither of you is in any way forced to come with me…'

'… But you already know we will come anyway,' Morgana interrupted. 'So, cut it with the noble crap and tell us the plans already, will you?'

Arthur's dumbstruck expression made quite a few people laugh and it broke the tension in the room, which was no doubt exactly what Morgana had intended.

As soon as the prince had found his tongue again he started outlining his ideas, but Alina was only half listening. There was something else tucking at the edges of her mind, demanding attention and she decided it would be unwise to ignore it.

'Morgause is not our biggest problem,' she announced, interrupting Arthur in mid-sentence.

All heads swivelled in her direction. 'What?'

'Morgause is not our biggest problem,' she repeated. 'And neither is her bloody immortal army. We have the sword forged in the dragon's breath, a sword that can kill even the dead, and we have Arthur, the best swordsman in the Five Kingdoms, to wield it. He'll succeed in knocking that thing over, I'm sure. And, before you ask, not because of legend, but because I have faith in him.'

There were a lot of people frowning at her now, even Merlin.

'Alina, what are you talking about?' Arthur asked, clearly confused.

'Mordred,' she replied. Something urged her to be open with them about this. 'We already know he's Morgause's new ally.' _Which rules out season five happening anyway. If he's already turned evil, that kind young man doesn't exist and neither will he exist. So please stop feeling sorry for him._ Alina took a deep breath and continued. 'Prophecy names him as Arthur's doom, the one that will kill Arthur and end every prophecy we're fighting to come true. Arthur can handle any immortal soldier Morgause throws our way, but he can't protect himself from his doom.'

She paused to let everyone take it in. Good grief, heaven knew she needed time to take it in. The words effortlessly found the way from her mind to her mouth before she had even thought them through. And she hated what her words suggested, she hated herself for what she knew she had to suggest. Her encounter with the slave traders, her killing a few of them, had learned her that when you killed someone you did not remain unmoved by it. And yet here she was, having to point out that they kill a young boy for something he was prophesised to do. It made her sick to even think about it, but deep down she also knew she had to do it if she wanted destiny to come true.

'Are you saying what I think you're saying?' Arthur, face shocked, could only stare at her. She could feel him try, and fail, to comprehend what she had just told him, trying his hardest to fit this line into Alina's character. She wasn't surprised that he failed on that account as well. After all, she herself couldn't for the life of her fit it into her own character.

_Get a freaking grip_, she told herself when she was shying away from the very thought just like he was. 'Yes. Yes, Arthur. We need to kill him before he kills you.'

More protest followed immediately, from Morgana this time. 'But you can't mean that!' she exclaimed. 'He's only just a boy, a child!'

'A child with a destiny that would end everything we will be fighting for tomorrow,' Alina countered, her anger at herself and her fear making the words sound so much harsher than she meant them. 'Either we kill him or he will be Arthur's end tomorrow.'

She had never before heard a silence that was so loud. All eyes were on her and she couldn't bring herself to meet their gazes. She could hardly believe she even uttered those words. Was she really the person to tell others that they had to kill a thirteen year old boy? Where had her compassion gone, her belief in second chances and changing legend? _But I am changing legend now_, she thought. _We'll end Mordred and we'll guarantee Camelot's, no Arthur's safety in the process._

'Is… is that legend?' Arthur stammered.

Alina didn't think she'd ever forgive herself for what she did then. She lied, right in his face. 'Yes.'

**Merlin**

Merlin was like the rest of them when those harsh and unfeeling words came out of his friend's mouth; flabbergasted. Where had that compassionate woman gone, the one who always told him that everything was going to be fine and who kept fighting for second chances even though all common sense told her not to? This cold woman was a complete stranger to him.

The Alina he knew had gone out of her way to change Morgana's path in life and even though everyone who knew about that had been doubtful about it, she had succeeded in the end. Somehow, unconsciously, Merlin had expected her to do the same thing for Mordred, even more so because of his young age. To find now that she had no intention to live up to his expectations was shocking to say the least.

But, as he tried to make sense of what was happening here, some pieces started to fall into place. It was a combination of Alina's knowledge, her urge to protect Arthur and doing what needs to be done that made her words clear to him.

Mordred was Arthur's doom. He knew that of course. The dragon had been telling him that from the moment Mordred first stepped foot in Camelot. If he needed any confirmation of that information, Alina had just given it.

The second thing was that this danger was imminent. Alina had mentioned some time ago that Mordred wasn't supposed to be in the picture yet, but clearly that just applied to him spying for Morgause. There was not a single hint of hesitation or uncertainty in Alina's eyes now. This was the woman in crisis mode: sure of herself and the path they needed to follow and determined to do whatever it took to make sure this all ended well. In a way it was a relief to see her like that, because it meant she was on top of things again. It was a piece of certainty in this uncertain times, a strong foundation on which he could build. He hadn't realised just how much he had missed that until it was back.

That brought him back to the piece of knowledge she had just shared with him: Mordred would kill Arthur tomorrow unless they did something about it. And now he did understand why Alina proposed something that he would otherwise have dismissed as cruel and unnecessary. She would not see Arthur harmed. Her feelings for Camelot's crown prince were as strong as his for her. Even a blind man could see how they felt about each other. Recent events had made them more open in their affection for each other. Even now, when Arthur was so clearly shocked by what she had just told them, he held her hand loosely in his. And, now that he looked closer, he could see the love and protectiveness burn in hers. This was about keeping her loved ones safe and Merlin couldn't find it in himself to blame her, even if it meant that a young boy had to die.

Maybe she had only made such an effort to change Morgana's ways because Morgana had not been such an immediate danger to the prince, Merlin pondered. There had still been time. That was something they did not have right now. Had there been, Merlin was sure she would have been trying to use it to change legend for the better once again.

'Believe me,' she said softly. 'I don't _want_ to do this, but I can't stand by and let him kill you just because I'm too soft to end the threat.'

Arthur shook his head. 'Are you sure there's no other way?' His voice had become almost cajoling. 'I met Mordred. He was a kind boy. He wouldn't, _couldn't_ harm anyone.'

'That was _before_ he met Morgause,' Alina pointed out, pleading with him to understand. 'He's different now.'

Morgana nodded in agreement. 'He's with Morgause now,' she confirmed. 'I talked with him, but all he could talk about was the cause. He may have been the one to speak, but those were not his own words. They were Morgause's. He is not that Druid boy we rescued anymore.'

'Can't you change legend?' Arthur tried again.

Alina bit her lip. 'I wouldn't know how,' she confessed. There were tears in her eyes. 'I wouldn't know how! All I know is that you will most likely die if we let him live. I just can't stand that thought. And I won't ask you to do it.' _I'll do it myself_. She never said those words, but everyone heard them.

And that was wrong, infinitely wrong. Alina shouldn't be doing this. It wasn't her destiny. She wasn't the one who had failed to heed the dragon's warning, thus allowing this crisis to happen. _He_ had been the one to ignore the advice and save Mordred regardless of the consequences later on. Back then he had believed that if he saved the boy, he wouldn't want to hurt any of them when the time came. How foolish that had been and he only now could see that.

So, no, it shouldn't be the Once and Future Queen who had to perform such a horrible task, not when the mistake that led to this horrible event wasn't hers to begin with. He had been at fault, so he would have to be the one to rectify it. It was only fair.

He took a deep breath and then spoke. 'No, that's wrong.'

Now all eyes looked at him. Alina shot him a look that clearly said _don't you start as well_. The others nodded in agreement, except for Morgana and Arthur. The former seemed to agree with Alina while the latter was surprised. But all of them had misunderstood him.

'Could you please come down from that moral high ground?' Alina pleaded. 'We just can't afford it.'

'I know,' he replied calmly. 'But it's my fault to begin with. I should be the one to do it.'

* * *

**And on that happy note I'll leave you for the next two weeks. Next time I think the battle begins. I'll try to update as soon as I can, but since I'm cut off from internet from Thursday on, that might take a while. I'll try my best to upload Just Another Normal Day as well before I leave, but don't shoot me if I can't make it!**


	93. Chapter 93

**Hello everyone, here I am again with chapter 93, which ended up getting quite long. I hope you'll like it and please tell me what you think about it.**

**Oh, and I'm back to my normal update schedule, which means that chapter 94 should be up either Wednesday or Thursday!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 93**

**Merlin**

Merlin didn't think he had ever been so nervous in his entire life. It felt as if the weight of the world had been put on his shoulders from the moment he had volunteered to do what so clearly needed to be done, even when the very thought made him sick. But it wasn't like he had much of a choice. Alina had been clear. Arthur would die if they didn't kill Mordred and since he had failed to take care of this problem before, it was his duty that he did it now. Arthur had asked if he had been on the slow gin again when he had told them all he would be the one to do it and the rest of the company had reacted in shock too. They had barely recovered from the shock of finding out that he had magic and now he startled them all over again.

Alina had been the only one to understand. He could see she still wasn't happy with the way things were going, but when he had heard her voice in his head she had been calm and accepting. _I know_, she had thought at him. _I'm sorry_.

_What for? he_ had asked.

_The necessity of it_, she had clarified.

Yes, he did hate that too. What kind of twisted world were they living in if an innocent boy had to be killed? But that was the whole point, wasn't it? Mordred wasn't innocent, not anymore anyway. He had sided with Morgause and if that didn't tell them enough about his intentions, Merlin wasn't sure what would. He had to firmly remind himself that that boy was no longer innocent and if he didn't pull himself together, Arthur would pay the price. And that he couldn't stand for.

The second problem would be where to find him. Morgana reported that she had ordered the boy to leave Camelot and never return. But since she had been in the dungeons ever since Camelot had been invaded, her knowledge of his whereabouts was hopelessly outdated. She did however have the advantage of knowing exactly what he looked like these days.

'Not in here,' she reported after a quick glance in the kitchen.

Morgana had insisted that she come with him. After all, she argued, it was as much her fault as it was his that Mordred was still walking free and therefore the responsibility should be hers as well.

They were to search the castle, while Arthur and Alina went looking for the Cup of Life. The knights provided them with a distraction in the dungeons at the same time. Merlin didn't like the sound of that, but there wasn't much choice and at least Arthur had Alina to protect him. That had to be worth something.

'Did you expect he was?' Merlin asked.

Morgana shrugged. 'Hoped it, more like. He was the cook's protégé before I sent him away. I thought maybe he had come back to see her after his return.'

That return wasn't certain yet and Alina hadn't known the specifics either. But if he was going to kill Arthur today, then logic dictated he had to be somewhere in the castle, either in plain sight or well hidden.

The warlock shook his head. 'The cook, she wouldn't want to see him,' he said. 'Not if she found about his links to Morgause. She'd have hit him before she hugged him. No, he doesn't have much reason to be here.'

'But where then?' Morgana asked.

That of course was the question he had feared. They had spied into the council chambers and throne room and he wasn't there. They had investigated the servant's quarters, where he had slept before, but that too had proved useless. There was no evidence that Mordred had even been in the castle at all, let alone that he still was.

'He's been in the castle for weeks,' Merlin muttered. 'He knows every corner of this place inside out. He could be anywhere!'

Morgana nudged him when his voice became too loud. 'Hush,' she told him. 'He won't be,' she added, reacting to his loud remark. A thoughtful look had appeared in her eyes. He knew that look from Alina and it always meant that she was on to something.

'What do you mean?' he asked.

'When you need to hide, where do you go?' she asked.

He stared at her blankly. 'Somewhere people wouldn't start looking for me?' he guessed.

She nodded enthusiastically. 'And?'

He had no idea what she was playing at, but he decided to go with it. 'And somewhere I knew, because I knew the escape routes.'

'And because you know it, it would be all too obvious if you hid there, so that's the last place people will go looking for you,' Morgana finished.

'You mean his bedroom?' And when she again nodded, he added: 'But we've been there already. And why would he even hide? If he's with Morgause, he won't need to.'

'No, but if he's got any brains, he knows I'm coming after him.'

He gave her a quizzical look.

'I threatened him,' she confessed. 'And I think I was rather convincing, so…' Her voice trailed off and she stared at the points of her shoes, like she could hardly believe she had managed to threaten anyone.

Merlin, of course, knew better. He had known her for years now and knew how fierce she could be, especially when it came to the ones she loved. It was all too easy to imagine her frightening a little boy into believing he was as good as dead if he ever dared to step foot in Camelot again. She could be really convincing when she needed it. And Mordred was only a child. He had no way of knowing if she was genuine or if it was all just an empty threat. On top of that Morgana was also a witch. She could use her magic against him. Merlin could understand why the Druid would be frightened. He was glad he was in Morgana's good books these days.

'And you escaped the dungeons, so now he's scared you'll come after him,' he understood. He had to admit that this reasoning started to make a lot of sense, which brought him back to the earlier question of where in Camelot Mordred would be hiding. 'But still, his bedroom is empty.'

Morgana nodded, a slight twinkle in her eyes. 'But that's not the only place where he slept now, is it?'

Now he really had to dig in his memory. Mordred had slept before in this castle, apart from the bedroom in the servant's quarters? What on earth did she mean? Was there another room he had spent time in before he had been sent away by her, a place she had forgotten to mention to him perhaps?

The next moment he felt like banging his head against a wall for not realising immediately. Of course Mordred had slept here before and he should have known it too. Maybe he hadn't because it had been years ago, even before Alina had shown up. So much had happened since that time that his first year in Camelot sometimes felt like it was another life altogether, but now that he was focusing on it again, the event effortlessly found its way back to the forefront of his mind.

Mordred, injured, chased by guards and on the verge of collapse, had been found by Merlin all those years ago, who had then taken it upon himself to hide the innocent Druid boy from Uther's guards. But those guards had been practically crawling all over the place, as they only tended to do when you least needed them, and he had been forced to search refuge in Morgana's chamber. Behind the screen.

'The screen,' he breathed. 'In your room.' The last place he would normally have looked. Oh, well, who was he fooling? He wouldn't have looked there at all. Thank God he had someone with him who had connected all the dots. 'Morgana, you're a genius.'

He didn't know what he expected to happen then, maybe a bright smile or a sarcastic remark along the lines of how she was glad he had finally noticed. What he had not expected was for her to kiss him. On the lips.

And the world stopped moving. This time he was sure that it wasn't his doing. If he had been slowing down time with his mind again, he'd have known it and he wasn't. He didn't think this was Morgana's doing either. It just happened and somehow them kissing had made it happen. It was just beautiful and sweet and amazing and… He just ran out of words to describe how good this felt. It even felt like this was somehow meant to happen, like _they_ were meant to happen. And so he kissed her back, losing himself in the moment, conveniently forgetting that they were still inside a castle full of immortal soldiers and that they really were supposed to find this Druid boy that had this annoying destiny of being Arthur's doom.

They only came down back to earth again when a door was slammed somewhere, making them both realise that this might not be the ideal moment to start kissing.

'Wow,' Morgana whispered. 'Ehm…' She looked a little embarrassed.

'I love you?' he blurted out. And why it came out as a question, he couldn't tell. Was he still afraid she would turn him down, even when it had been her that started the kiss in the first place?

Morgana didn't seem to notice the question mark at all. She just beamed at him. 'Love you too,' she confessed with cheeks burning bright red, as if she was confessing a crime.

But when they looked at each other Merlin could feel himself smiling like an idiot and Morgana had a rather sheepish but very happy smile on her face. 'I bet Alina's going to love that,' she muttered. 'She's been pestering me about it for months.'

Merlin chuckled. 'If it's any consolation, she kept nagging me about it, too.' He stared at his feet for a moment, uncertain of how to proceed. He wanted to do this right. There was no way he was going to mess this up. 'So…,' he said in the end. 'What do we do now?'

Morgana thought about that for a moment. 'Now we find Mordred,' she replied in the end. 'And after the battle we are going to sit down and talk about it. Us.'

The mere idea that there even was an us was enough to bring a smile back to his face. 'Deal,' he said. 'Come on, let's go.'

The castle was remarkably bad guarded. Not that this was anything new to Merlin, who had been sneaking past unobservant guards for years, but he somehow expected Cenred and Morgause to be absolutely paranoid about the whole guarding thing, especially after the prison break.

Well, he supposed the fact that the others had not yet been discovered played an important part as well. Morgana and Merlin had gone in three hours before the rest so that they had a good chance of finding Mordred before the actual attack happened. But that time had all but run out now and Merlin had to admit that he started to feel a little nervous. What if, in spite of their careful preparation, they couldn't find him in time and he would kill Arthur still? The very thought made him sick.

'He'll be there,' Morgana assured him. She must have sensed his unease.

'I know,' he replied, not even sure why he knew. It was a feeling deep down, the same feeling that had told him that he and Morgana were meant to be. Was it just his destiny telling him things?

They ran the last corridor to Morgana's chamber. The door was locked, but with both of them having magic at their disposal, that lock didn't present much of a challenge.

The room looked exactly as it always did, to Merlin's eyes at least. Everything was where it had always been, nothing was out of place. There were even fresh flowers on the table.

And he stopped dead. Fresh flowers? In a room that hadn't been occupied for a week? That wasn't possible.

'The flowers,' he whispered, not sure why he was whispering.

Morgana nodded. 'I didn't put them there.'

They proceeded with caution. Mordred hadn't come out yet, but Merlin had a feeling he could do so any moment now. And the boy was powerful. It wouldn't do to get caught too early and off guard. Lives depended on this.

Merlin forced himself not to think about what he had to do. Evil or not, the fact remained that Mordred was only a thirteen year old boy. He had powerful magic and a destiny that dictated that he would kill Arthur, but he was still a boy and the mere idea of having to kill a child was disgusting to him.

He felt Morgana's hand grasp his own. 'We'll do it together,' she decided.

Merlin couldn't express how much that meant to him. He just nodded while his hands grabbed the curtain that shielded off the small area of the room where Mordred had been hidden before. 'On the count of three,' he told her. 'One, two, three!'

He drew the curtain back, prepared to deal with whatever it was that was lurking behind it, except that there wasn't anyone lurking there. They were met by the sight of an improvised bed, made of an old mattress and several blankets, one of which had been used as a pillow. Mordred had been here, but he wasn't anymore.

'I don't understand,' Morgana said. 'I really thought…'

'He was here,' Merlin reminded her. 'You were right. He just isn't here anymore.' Which meant that they were back to square one. 'You know him, Morgana. If you were him, where would you go?' She had proven that she understood the boy's mind before. He knew for certain that she could do it again.

At that moment the warning bells started tolling.

All the blood had drained from Morgana's face. 'Arthur,' she replied.

**Arthur**

Arthur wasn't nervous. That wouldn't have been like him. He didn't get nervous, he had told Merlin once, and he didn't intend to start now. Having said that, he had to admit that he was not as calm as he would have liked. But then, he doubted if anyone could be calm in situations like this. How many people would stay completely composed when they marched into a castle practically swarming with immortal soldiers, not to mention the presence of a king who doesn't belong on the throne he's occupying, an evil witch who seems to like killing people in her spare time and a Druid boy who's destined to kill you? It really was a good thing that he didn't get nervous.

Alina wasn't nervous either, although she wasn't one hundred percent calm either. You had to know her well to see it and fortunately Arthur knew her very well. So he noticed the tightening and relaxing of her fingers around the hilt of her sword, the too controlled breathing, the rigidness of her posture and her eyes that kept darting around her continuously. She was in crisis mode now and she wouldn't come out of it until the battle had ended.

'You all right?' he asked.

She shot him an annoyed look. 'As all right as I can be, I imagine.' She didn't ask after him, but she didn't need to. She could sense all his emotions every moment of every day.

'Let's go then,' he proposed.

The corridors were ridiculously empty of guards. It was almost too easy to sneak to the room where Alina said the Cup was. These days he didn't even ask how she knew. He just accepted that she knew. It saved him a lot of time and annoyed looks. So he walked on after her as she sought her way through the castle, sometimes pausing to avoid an encounter with immortal guards. Arthur's hands were itching to kick that scum out of this kingdom again, but it wouldn't do to bring all those immortal soldiers down on them too early and so he waited, squashed away in a broom cupboard until one of the patrols, the first one they had chanced upon since they had entered the castle, had passed.

He took that chance to study his fiancée. Something was wrong with her, but the one time he had tried to ask about it, she had cut him off, saying it was not important. But Arthur disagreed. If something was bothering her it was important, if only to him. It had started with the first mentioning of the Cup, he decided. She hadn't really smiled since, or told them that everything was going to be all right, for that matter. Given the seriousness of this crisis he could understand that, but there was more to it.

He pondered that for a moment, unable to do anything else now that two soldiers had started to discuss the weather right in front of their hiding place. There was something different, something dark about her. He had gotten the shock of a lifetime when she told them that they needed to kill Mordred t prevent him from killing Arthur. That was not like her. He knew she wanted to protect him, at any cost, but he'd never thought she would be prepared to kill a child for something that he was prophesised to do. It just wasn't like her.

It was fear, he then realised, as he watched her peeking outside to see if the coast was clear yet. Alina was afraid, probably of losing him, the battle and thus everything she had fought to protect ever since she arrived first in Camelot. He had overheard her talking to Merlin late last evening and they had mentioned how everything, the old prophecies, all of Alina's knowledge, seemed to come together now in one last big struggle. If that was truly what was at stake today, then he understood why she acted as she did. Because she was nervous… and scared.

'They're gone,' she reported. 'Let's go. Arthur, are you all right?'

He imagined he gave quite a shocked impression, as he believed anyone would had they just realised what Arthur had realised. The stakes were so high and their odds weren't exactly favourable, so how on earth were they going to pull this off?

But there was no need to make her any more worried than she no doubt already was and so he lied. 'Fine.'

The expression on her face told him she didn't believe that for a second, but she didn't push the point as they made their way towards the room where the fate of Camelot would be decided.

'Oh, it's definitely there,' she muttered when they were only two corridors away from their destination.

He gave her a quizzical look. 'How do you know?' he wondered.

'My magic,' she clarified. 'It can sense the Cup's power.'

That was strange. 'You couldn't feel that before, could you?'

She grimaced. 'Because it wasn't being used then. It is now and believe me, that's very powerful magic. I think we'll need your sword to knock it from its pedestal.'

_Oh joy_. As if things weren't complicated enough already. Why could these things just never ever, not even once, be easy? He hadn't even finished that thought when he caught sight of the guards standing outside the room where the Cup was being kept. There were six of them, all of them heavily armed, all of them made immortal. And all they had were an enchanted sword and the Court Sorceress. This was bad, very bad indeed.

'Now is not the time to start panicking, Arthur,' Alina hissed at him.

'I'm not!' he protested, a little too loud perhaps.

'I wish I could believe it,' she muttered.

Arthur knew it would be useless to argue about this. It didn't really matter anyway. They had other things to be getting on with.

'Together?' he checked. He wasn't exactly happy with that idea, with him being the only one to have a sword that could slay the dead or the not-quite-so-dead-but-still-not-quite-alive or whatever it was that those soldiers were these days. He should have asked that dragon to make another sword like his for her when he had seen him. True, Alina did have her magic to protect herself, but he dreaded to think what could happen to her if she used it too much. Fortunately Merlin had been able to help her, doing God knows what to revive her, but he had no idea what it was that he had done and he could certainly not perform that act himself.

'Yep,' she replied, grasping her sword a little tighter. 'And would you please stop fussing? You're making me edgy. We. Are. Going. To. Be. _Fine_.'

Somehow he just needed to hear that. She hadn't said it much lately, and to hear it again was delightful. It meant that the true Alina, the one that told him they were going to be fine and the one who didn't propose to kill kids, was still in there somewhere. That reassured him. Even though the whole world had turned upside down, there were still things that never changed.

'On the count of three,' he told her and he started the countdown when she nodded. 'One… Two… Three!'

On the three they charged into the hallway, taking the not very observant guards completely by surprise. Well, that meant they had an advantage. And Arthur soon discovered that they had another advantage as well. These guards were confident, arrogantly so even. They knew they were immortal and therefore underestimated their opponents. And they were reckless as well. Who cares about getting injured when you know you're going to be fine in the end? They just focused on trying to hurt them as quickly as they could.

And that was a big mistake on their part. Alina wielded her sword quite unconventionally, aiming for the soldiers' legs and arms instead of for their heads. That seemed to confuse them somewhat, but the effectiveness of that tactic became soon clear to them when her sword cut through one of their legs, making the limb fall off and the soldier it had belonged to fall flat on his face. He obviously wasn't dead, nor would he die of his injuries, but he couldn't get up again either.

Somewhere in the castle a warning bell started tolling, but Arthur paid it no mind. That would be the result of the knights' distraction in the dungeon. The idea was to make Morgause believe she had another break-out on her hands and after Alina's attempt several days ago, it would be all too easy to make her fall for it.

So now he fought, making use of his opponent's temporary distraction to pierce the magical sword straight through his heart. And then the strangest thing happened. He just exploded, literally, into thousands of small pieces before vanishing completely. It was all too clear he had just done the impossible by killing an immortal man. Even though he had known with his head that it was _not_ impossible, it was quite another thing to see it happen.

The guards were just as surprised as he was. They backed away in something that appeared to be fear, eyeing Arthur's sword warily, just as Arthur looked at it in appreciation.

'Nice sword,' he commented.

'Sure,' Alina agreed. 'But can you please stay focused on the task? You have enough opportunity to admire it later.'

He grinned sheepishly and they charged forward again, killing three more guards and dismembering four others, leaving the entire group either dead or crippled as they struggled to make the door open. Morgause had magically locked it, but Arthur already suspected her power wasn't even much of a challenge for his fiancée. She proved him right by breaking through the enchantment at the second try.

'Easy,' she smiled, panting. 'Careful, though. There are more of these creeps inside.'

'Legend?' he guessed.

'Hell, yes.'

He didn't quite understand what hell had to do with it immediately, but he thought he understood why the moment he looked at eight more of those vicious guards, surrounding a pedestal on which the Cup of Life stood in all its glory. It still looked majestic and powerful, but where it had looked beautiful before when it had been used to save Merlin, it now felt positively sinister. Was that because of the dark magic that had been used on it?

'Shit,' Alina muttered not quite under her breath. 'You ready?'

As ready as he was ever going to be, he supposed. But they were so close to their goal now. He wasn't going to back out, not when he was finally starting to believe that they could do this after all. The Cup was only meters away, almost within their grasp and the only thing stopping them were some not-so-immortal men.

'Ready,' he told her.

She smiled encouragingly at him. 'Let's do it then. Let's end this.'

_Yes, let's end this_. Arthur grasped his sword a little tighter, enjoying the feel of it in his hands. It almost felt like it had been made for him, but he wasn't going to tell Alina that. She would probably laugh at him for it.

The guards charged forward and Arthur abandoned every thought that didn't involve this crisis and the quickest way to get rid of these men. Alina cut off several more legs as they slowly made their way towards the Cup and Arthur finished them off for good measure.

They took care of the last one together, with Alina cutting of the man's head while Arthur pierced his heart. Cenred's men exploded into countless pieces before he too vanished into nothing, leaving not as much as a fingernail to remind them he had ever even existed.

'We did it,' Alina said in a triumphant voice, even though she was panting. The faith had been restored to her eyes. Arthur could see she didn't really believe something could go wrong now. 'Now, come on, knock that bloody thing over and be done with it properly.'

He agreed. This crisis had dragged on for far too long. He found that he really wanted things to get back to normal, or as normal as things in Camelot ever were. Good heavens, what he wouldn't give to be doing something normal like chasing a goblin, hunting a troll or something like that. Maybe he should ask Merlin to open that box again, he pondered, if only to remember himself of just how normal things could be.

_You're rambling_, he told himself as he raised the sword above his head with a smile. Fortunately Alina couldn't read his mind. He had a feeling he might shock her with this kind of thoughts.

'Go on, then,' she urged him.

He was about to obey when suddenly all hell broke loose again. The door flew off its hinges and a cold voice shouted something that sounded like a spell, but Arthur didn't really pay attention to the caster. Because Alina, who had started to spin around as she heard the noise, had been thrown back against a nearby wall before she had even the chance to react to the threat. Arthur heard a sharp snap and then saw her sink back to the ground. She didn't move again.

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**Try not to kill me, please. Instead you could use that space down here to let me know what you loved and hated about this chapter.**


	94. Chapter 94

**Hello dear readers. Here's the next chapter already. And it would seem that I was right: 9 reviews for the last chapter! Thanks so very much. The moment I leave you on a cliffhanger you all start reviewing.**

**Anyway, I know a lot of you might hate me after this chapter, but just bear with me, okay? Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 94**

**Morgana**

'_Noooo_!' Morgana would have recognised that ear and heart piercing scream anywhere. That voice belonged to Arthur and there was no mistake about that.

She stopped dead, as did Merlin. 'Arthur!' they chorused, and then they simultaneously broke into a run again, pushing themselves as hard as they could.

There had to be something very wrong here and taken into account that they already suspected Mordred was involved in this, Morgana had a very good idea what might be wrong. But this didn't sound like Arthur was hurt. He had sounded like some kind of wounded animal, true, but it was more like he had lost something very dear to him than he being hurt himself. Had that been the case, he would roar like an angry boar. Morgana had known him long enough to know.

And there had been only one person in there with Arthur that would justify such a reaction: Alina. Something must have happened to her and Morgana could feel herself go all cold inside. _Oh please, not again!_ she begged of any god that would be prepared to listen. _Please, not again!_

They had to be close now. Both Merlin and she could feel the Cup's power, drawing them to it, guiding them through the corridors that were still remarkably empty. The few guards that they had encountered so far had been easily disposed of by slamming them into nearby walls or making them fall asleep where they stood. Once you knew how to deal with them, they didn't really present much of a challenge, Morgana pondered, which was why she knew that Arthur and Alina must have run into something far more deadly, because those two wouldn't have had any trouble at all dealing with some simple soldiers that couldn't even fight now that they were immortal.

And she was right. She caught sight of Morgause's favourite red dress even before she entered the room, that seemed to have been deprived of its door. But Morgause was not alone. There was a smaller person standing next to her, dressed in a dark cloak with the hood pulled over his face. But Morgana didn't need to see his face to know who was underneath it. They had been hunting him since the crack of dawn after all. Mordred.

She did the first thing that popped up in her head, although she admitted immediately that it wasn't her most brilliant idea ever. She called Morgause's name.

More than one head swivelled in her direction, effectively drawing everyone's attention away from Arthur, who stood right in front of the Cup of Life, appearing to be unharmed, but with an expression on his face that told her that he had lost all the will to live. Somewhere behind him she could see Alina's motionless body lying against a wall, a pool of blood around her head. She didn't need any explanation for this. Alina was dead.

'What have you done?' she demanded, fighting her hardest to keep her fear and grief at bay, but it still leaked through in her voice, giving it a harsh and even desperate edge. 'What have you _done_ to her, Morgause?'

Morgause looked at her and Morgana could see the madness in her eyes. It was in her eyes, in her smile, in her entire attitude and it chilled Morgana to the bone. Who was this? This woman wasn't just evil anymore. She was crazy, not in her right mind anymore. She was a powerful and evil madwoman. _What happened to you to make you like this?_

'Sister,' Morgause greeted. 'You came back.' The tone told Morgana all she needed to know. Morgause truly believed she had come back to her side. It was almost pitying.

But Morgana only had to look at Alina's broken body lying there and the broken expression on Arthur's face to make every sense of pity leave her body. This evil witch had murdered her best friend and broken her brother's spirit. That realisation filled her with a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time: burning and ice-cold hatred. But it was no longer directed at Uther. It was all reserved for this crazy witch.

'I made a promise,' she told Morgause. She was surprised at how cold and dark she sounded.

'You came back,' Morgause repeated, but it was clear from her tone that she did not understand what Morgana meant.

Morgana spoke slowly as she uttered the words that would make her understand. 'I told you that if you had the guts to hurt any of my friends, if you as much as harmed one of the hairs on their heads, I would make your life a living hell, the little that remains of it, that is. We are mortal enemies now, Morgause, and you just murdered my best friend in cold blood.' And Alina's blood was cooling as they spoke, her life extinguished by one spell of this woman. It made Morgana's blood boil and turn to ice at the same moment. She could feel her magic burning within her, screaming at her to use it to avenge that monstrous deed. 'I've come to make good on that promise.'

Understanding started to dawn in Morgause's eyes as the true meaning of Morgana's words started to sink in. 'But sister, I've done you a favour. You're free of her now.'

The icy feeling increased in tenfold as Morgana started to understand the true meaning of those words. Morgause had held Alina personally responsible for Morgana changing sides again, back to Arthur's side. That much she had known. But now she heard that the woman she had used to call sister had deliberately targeted the Court Sorceress, hoping that her demise would bring Morgana back to her again. The very thought made Morgana want to throw up.

She could feel the bile rise in her throat as she looked into those familiar brown eyes. 'You're insane!' she spat. Insane and dangerous. 'I can't believe I ever cared about you! Look at what you've done! You're jeopardising everything I ever wanted.' Grief and despair were building up in her, fighting to take over the control, which would effectively change her into a sobbing wreck if she let them. The best way to keep them at bay was by surrendering to righteous hatred instead and she all too willingly did just that. 'You, Morgause, have seen your last sunrise. You _will_ pay for this.' And she would happily speak the spell to do it herself.

'Sister…' Morgause began.

Morgana cut her off, her anger still rising. 'Don't you dare call me sister!' she fumed. 'You don't have the right. You are no sister of mine. I don't even know you anymore!'

Everyone else seemed to have frozen into place as they watched the confrontation unfold. Even Mordred had taken a few steps back, away from Morgause. If Merlin was to be believed, Mordred already knew that she was a force to be reckoned with. Morgana didn't pay him much attention. Deep down she knew that he was Merlin's responsibility, just as Morgause was hers. Maybe it was meant to be that way. She didn't really know and she didn't really care. All she knew was that, no matter what was meant to be, she wanted to do this, _wanted_ to end the woman whose ally she had once been. She wanted to avenge Alina's death, if only to give her passing meaning, to not let her brutal murder go unanswered.

_Like that is going to solve anything_. Alina's voice in her head was as real as if she were standing right next to Morgana. _It won't change anything_.

Morgana forcefully swallowed the lump in her throat away. _It would solve a lot of problems_, she argued. _Like you said, could you please come down from that moral high ground? We're in the middle of a war here and she is the enemy. If we kill her, the world will be a much better place._

_Yes, she needs to go, but you're doing it for all the wrong reasons, Morgana_, Alina's voice urged. What was she anyway? Alina was dead, so Morgana was absolutely sure this wasn't any normal mental conversation. She had a feeling it might be her conscience using Alina's voice and words to keep her from doing what she wanted, _needed_ to do. _You're only seeking revenge and it won't bring me back. You know it._

Oh, she did know. _But I can't let this just happen either. So will you please shut up, Alina? You're dead anyway. You can't even talk to me._

That did shut her conscience up rather effectively and left Morgana as convinced of her goal as she ever had been. Morgause would not see another sunrise and if Morgana had anything to say in the matter, she wouldn't see the sunset either. Too long had she allowed Morgause to run free, wreaking havoc on those she loved, and now it had finally been enough.

She tried to ignore that nagging feeling telling her that it was too little and too late. Prophecies and destiny may already have died the moment Alina did. She remembered Merlin telling her the young sorceress was the key to everything, even if she didn't realise that herself. And now, looking at Arthur's face, she knew what he had meant. Arthur was nothing without Alina at his side and now that she was dead, Arthur had broken down as well. And Albion would not come into being without Arthur there to lead it. The state he was in now, he was in no state to lead. Whether or not they succeeded in killing both Morgause and Mordred here today, the future that was meant to be had already been shattered, undone by one simple spell and the death of one young woman.

Morgana raised her right hand and pointed it at Morgause. 'You need to go,' she told her. 'And I need to make sure that you will never ever harm another human being again.'

It all happened so fast after that, and yet to Morgana it all seemed to be happening in slow motion. Later she might think that maybe Merlin had slowed down the time with his magic, as she had recently learned he could do, but at that moment she didn't exactly have the time to wonder about the specifics.

She was just about to speak the spell that would end Morgause's life, when she noticed motion in the corner of her eyes. Mordred had reached into his cloak, revealing a rather large dagger or small sword, depending on what you liked to think. She also noticed, shocked, that the Druid had moved a whole lot closer to Arthur than she would have liked, while everyone's attention had been focused on the showdown between Morgause and her. Arthur was very close to meeting his doom and he hadn't even seen. At the moment she doubted if he even cared, but she certainly did.

No one else had seen what she had seen and by the time she would have been able to alert anyone, it would already be far too late. She had even less than a second to decide what to do: act out her revenge, as she so desperately wanted, or save Arthur's life, as she knew Alina would have wanted her to do.

That made up her mind on the subject. Alina may be dead, but she had known her friend rather well. Alina would have wanted Arthur safe, no matter what the cost. That revenge could wait, this could not.

So she shouted a spell at Morgause, not even looking to see if it had any effect and literally threw herself at Arthur, knocking the air out of him as they crashed to the ground. The dagger pierced the air where not a second before the crown prince of Camelot had been.

**Merlin**

Merlin had no idea what happened when Morgana merely sent a sleeping spell Morgause's way, causing the evil witch to collapse on the spot. He was pretty sure she had been about to deal Morgause a fatal blow just now. The fact that she so clearly hadn't, presented him with today's greatest mystery.

But not for long. The words had hardly left her mouth when she threw herself forward, knocking Arthur to the ground with her. He heard a muttered and surprised 'Ow!' come from Arthur when his head acquainted itself with the cold stone floor, but his attention was focused on the dagger that seemingly came out of nowhere and that only just missed both Pendragons now lying on the floor. The hand that held the dagger belonged to the Druid boy that had been named Arthur's Doom by the prophets.

Merlin felt himself go all cold inside again, although honestly he had lost count of how many times that had happened to him this day only already. First it had been the discovery of Mordred in this castle, then the discovery of Alina's murder and now Mordred almost killing Arthur with him standing by and almost without noticing. How could he have let that happen?

His magic acted almost of its own will, swinging Mordred away from Arthur and Morgana and pinning him to the nearest wall, making it impossible for him to move. The dagger dropped to the ground, a safe distance away from the child. Merlin could feel Mordred's own formidable powers fighting against the invisible bonds restraining him, but Merlin could feel his own power coursing through his veins. He didn't usually allow it to run so freely, forced by the need to keep it hidden from almost everyone he knew, but now he allowed it to fill him up, let it take over. Mordred fought against it, but he was Emrys, the most powerful warlock this world had ever seen and would ever see. And his power fed on his anger, his grief, his loss, making it even more powerful than it would be normally. Mordred didn't even stand a chance.

Before he had hesitated to kill Mordred, held back by Mordred's young age, but now he had no such reservations anymore. This young man had tried to kill the Once and Future King, killing all the prophesies Merlin and Alina had fought so hard to come true.

And now his companion, his accomplice, his best friend lay dead on the floor, killed by the evil woman Mordred had allied himself with. Only the mention of her name sent a stab of pain through his heart.

And if it was so bad for him, how much worse wouldn't it be for Arthur, who had loved her so deeply, no, still loved her so deeply? His love hadn't miraculously vanished now she had stopped breathing. He had never had a direct connection to Arthur's feelings like Alina had, but years of careful observation had given him a deep insight in the workings of Arthur's mind and feelings. He had seen how close he had been with Alina, especially after her recent near-death experience. Before that, they had both been reluctant to show it much in public, because that was not the way things were done in Camelot, but they had loved each other.

And now she was gone and Arthur's spirit broken. He was absolutely devastated. Even now Morgana stood up again he remained on the ground, not moving, looking at a point in the distance without actually seeing it. He wasn't crying, but Merlin guessed that was only because he was still in shock. Once that wore off, he would cry. That wasn't Arthur's habit, but he would shed tears for her. As they all would.

_Why, Alina? This isn't how it is meant to be. You were to marry Arthur and we would all have been fine. You promised me. You promised him. You promised all of us!_ He knew these thoughts were unfair, but he couldn't help thinking them. Of course Alina hadn't chosen to die. It wasn't her way. She would have fought, never giving in. If she were to die, she would have died protecting Arthur. This, her being murdered before she even realised what had happened, was just all wrong. _It wasn't meant to be this way, Alina._

He had to swallow, hard, to keep the tears at bay. This was neither the time nor the place to mourn, no matter how badly he wanted to cry these tears. It wasn't the time. Not now.

He stared into the eyes of the boy he had once believed he would never see again, but those weren't a boy's eyes. Morgana had told him that he had come across as an adult, years older than he actually was. He saw the proof of that for himself now. These eyes were cold and unyielding, determined still, even though he couldn't move a finger to harm any of them. Merlin's magic held him pinned against the wall, tying him with bonds of magic. Mordred kept fighting them with all his power, but it did take Merlin hardly any effort at all to keep the bonds in place.

_Emrys_. Mordred's mental voice penetrated his mind as he had done years ago.

The lump in his throat prevented him from speaking out loud, but his mental voice didn't have that problem. _Why, Mordred?_ he asked. _Why did you do it? You know the prophecies! You know things are already changing. Why couldn't you just wait and see? Why do you have to kill him?_ All the questions he had came pouring out.

_It is not fast enough_, came the voice of the Druid boy. _Our kind is still hunted, still executed for having magic. It had to stop._ The conviction was obvious in every word he sent Merlin's way. He believed in everything he said.

In a way Merlin even understood Mordred's bitterness. The child had seen too much injustice, too many of their kind hunted down like animals. His fear for Camelot's, Uther's sense of justice would have made him vulnerable to Morgause's lies, her promises of a better future where he and his kind could live in freedom. Like her false promises had once lured Morgana to her side, so they had also won over this young boy that might otherwise have remained innocent.

But prophecy had a way of fulfilling itself and Merlin knew of only two people who had the power to change destiny and the legend as it was known in the time Alina had come from. But one of those people had gone, never to return, and the other had only just saved Arthur from his doom.

_This is _not_ the way! _Merlin thought forcefully. _Look around you, Mordred. Look what all your scheming and plotting has achieved! Is this what you really wanted?_

_No_, was the immediate reply. _You thwarted what we needed to do. It could have been good, Emrys! You should have joined us! Now our kind will never be allowed to live in freedom._

'We will,' he said aloud. 'You are wrong, Mordred. Magical people will be free once again, but not under Cenred's rule, not while Morgause still draws breath, poisoning the king's heart against magic the way they do now.'

Even Arthur looked at them now, his blue eyes clouded and tearful, but still alert. His hands were still holding the sword Alina had called Excalibur, holding on to it so tightly as if it was some kind of lifeline. It was heart-breaking to see.

'Arthur, empty the Cup,' he ordered. Something told him the prince should be the one to do it, if only to snap him out of his shock. But it also needed to be done. The warning bell still made for a constant background noise. The knights must still be fighting for their lives. It was about time this army was defeated.

But there was an ulterior motive to this. He needed Mordred to see that all his plans had failed, with the emptying of the Cup of Life the ultimate failure of what should have been his best plan ever.

He remembered Alina saying that all would be decided today and she had been right, although no one could have predicted this was what it would come to in the end. When he had thought about the end of this day, Merlin had pictured all of their little group sitting on the steps in the courtyard, enjoying the last rays of sunlight, congratulating themselves on the successful conclusion of one very dangerous and risky mission. He knew now that this would never be. There was no happy ending to this story. There was just minimalizing the damage.

And at least this snapped Arthur out of his strange mood. He slowly got to his feet, lifting the sword above his head and with one mighty swing sent the Cup flying through the room, the blood within spilling all over. It was splashed against the wall and on the floor and as the Cup touched the ground, completely emptied, he could feel the twisted magic of Morgause leave the powerful object. The spell was broken and the immortal army would be no more.

There was someone else who had felt this as well: Mordred. '_Noooo_!' he screamed, his eyes flashing gold, breaking free of his bonds with one very powerful wave of magic. The impact of it almost sent Merlin himself staggering back. The boy was more powerful than he had given him credit for.

Mordred's eyes were still that molten gold that gave away every magic-user, his frustration getting the better of him. His magic fed on that, making it stronger and far less predictable. There appeared cracks in the ceiling, complete pieces falling down. The ground shook beneath their feet, reacting to Mordred's rage.

And then this powerful eyes settled on Merlin and the warlock knew what he needed to do, what he had known he needed to do since the moment Alina had told them all what danger Mordred was. He stretched out his hand and spoke the words, forcing himself not to think about what he was doing.

Mordred tried to conjure up some kind of shield, but he didn't really stand a chance. Merlin had always been stronger than he could ever hope to be and Mordred's feeble attempt at self-protection didn't present much of a problem now either. Arthur's Doom was thrown forcefully against the wall he had just been pinned against and everyone in the room could hear the unpleasant sound of his neck snapping like a dry twig. His body slumped against the floor and he didn't move again. Merlin didn't even need to search for a pulse to know that he was gone.

Victory. They were victorious. The immortal army had been defeated, Morgause was being tied up by Morgana right that very moment and Mordred was no more. Camelot had been saved and Arthur was still alive. He should have been congratulating himself on a job well done. So then why was he feeling like he may have won the battle, but lost the war? And then he looked at Arthur cradling Alina's lifeless body in his arms, weeping uncontrollably, and suddenly he knew exactly why.

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**That's it for today. The next chapter should be up Sunday. In the meantime I'd love to know what you loved and hated about this chapter (although I think I can make a safe bet on the hated part). Until next time!**


	95. Chapter 95

**Hello dearest readers. Here's the new chapter for you. I was going to update tomorrow, but then I learned I'm going to be out of time practically all day then, so you get the new update now. I sincerely hope all the pitchforks that were brought out after the last chapter can be stored away now. **

**Enjoy and let me know what you think!**

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**Chapter 95**

**Arthur**

The world had ended. Or that was how it felt to Arthur at least. He had a vague recollection of knocking over the Cup of Life, emptying it of the blood within, a screaming Druid boy, the ground trembling and the roof partially caving in, but it all seemed to be happening to someone else, someone who actually thought that those things were even remotely important. They weren't to Arthur Pendragon.

His world had shrunken to the size of those few square meters where he was sitting with Alina's body in his arms. He had sought frantically for a pulse, a sign of life, even though a small voice in the back of his head told him he wouldn't find any, and indeed there had been no sign of life left in her body. Her breathing had stopped, her heart was too silent. She had gone and this time for real. Arthur had seen quite a lot of injuries in his life, enough to know that hers were fatal. The back of her head was a bloody mess where it had collided with the unyielding stone wall. Her neck had been broken too. She didn't stand a chance against the violence of Morgause's magic.

_If only I had paid better attention. If only I had shouted a warning in time. If only I hadn't been so focused on the Cup. She could have still been alive._ Guilt washed over him. A second more would have been all she needed, all she needed to turn around and conjure up a magical shield on which Morgause's magic would have crashed, unable to harm them. A second was all they would have needed. A second to decide between death and life.

And she felt so fragile in his arms, so vulnerable. He should never have allowed her to go with him into battle. With that determined expression of hers it had been all too easy to look past her frail figure and see the vulnerability in her. True, he had wanted her with him, conveniently overlooking the fact that she wasn't as physically strong as he was, relying on her magic to keep them both safe. He had allowed her to come with him and she had paid for it with her life.

Her eyes were still open, but all the life had gone from them. The extraordinary clear blue was still the same as it had always been, but the expression had gone. Those eyes would never again twinkle in mischief or joy, spark with righteous anger or examine him to see right through him, seeing what he didn't say.

He was only half aware of someone kneeling down next to him, holding a hand over Alina's face and softly closing her eyes, cutting him off from their blue depths forever.

'No!' he protested. He was vaguely aware of tears streaming down his cheeks, but he couldn't care anymore. Nothing mattered anymore.

'Now she looks like she is sleeping.' Morgana's eyes were also filled with tears, but she kept her voice under control. Her hand came to rest on Alina's chest and she muttered some magic words. Arthur could feel Alina's neck be made whole and the damage on the back of her head repaired, leaving no trace of the manner of her death. Had he not known better, he could have been fooled into believing that she was merely sleeping and could wake up any moment.

'I'm so sorry, Arthur,' Morgana whispered, her voice trembling now. 'I had no idea Morgause would target her. I had no idea she even held Alina responsible. I am so, _so_ sorry. I should have known.'

'You are not to blame,' Arthur said forcefully. The blame was his and his alone. Morgana hadn't been here when Morgause had entered and there was just no way she could have understood Morgause's twisted and evil mind. But Arthur, he had been here and he should have heard the footsteps drawing closer. He should have shouted a warning. It might have been enough to save her life. No, if anyone was to blame, he was. 'You couldn't have known.'

Merlin joined them, kneeling on the other side of Alina's body, opposite Arthur and Morgana. Arthur couldn't remember Merlin looking ever so solemn before. It didn't suit him. Merlin was meant to laugh, to drive them all crazy with his ridiculous name-calling, to be happy. Alina's death had made him look years older.

'I'm sorry, Arthur,' he whispered. Like Morgana, he also held out his hand over his best friend's body. He didn't need words to use the magic. The blood disappeared from her face and hands, her hair started braiding itself and her blood-stained armour started to transform itself into the beautiful deep blue dress Arthur had loved so well.

Even in his shocked state he knew what his sister and servant were doing. It was a gift, to Alina as well as to him. It was a way of saying goodbye, of showing respect. They removed all the visible evidence of her violent death, giving her back her dignity, making her look peaceful.

'Is there nothing you can do?' Arthur didn't mean to sound ungrateful and he really wasn't. But if there was just a small chance of holding her in his arms while she was alive and breathing, he needed to know. And he needed her. He didn't need her to look beautiful. He needed her to be at his side, alive. 'You have magic! Can't you do something? _Anything_?'

'Magic can do a lot of things, Arthur,' Merlin said. 'But the dead are dead. I can't change that, no matter how much I would wish it.' And no one who had looked at his face could doubt for even a second that he desperately wanted her to be alive as well. If it had been in his power one way or another, he would already have been busy trying to revive her. 'And it's already too late for reanimating her. What I did to her earlier,' he clarified as Arthur just stared at him in confusion. 'That should be done as soon as possible after her heart had stopped. Too long has passed. I am sorry, Arthur.'

They sat in silence for what felt like hours, no one feeling ready to move or leave her already. It was too soon and it hurt too much. Arthur knew for certain he couldn't face anyone else than Merlin and Morgana. Their presence was a comfort in and out of itself. They had gone through so much together, didn't need words to know what the others were feeling. Their grief was as real and deep as his was and somehow that made their presence acceptable. No doubt others would offer him their sympathies as well, but from them it would only be empty words or consolations without any meaning behind it. Alina had been well loved and done a lot for a lot of people, but none of them would be hurt by her passing as much as the three of them were.

'Yes, we can.' Morgana's sudden exclamation snapped both men out of their sombre thoughts. The young witch's head had snapped up and there was a strange sparkle in her eyes. It wasn't quite excitement, yet, but it was close to it.

'What do you mean?' He really tried not to sound too hopeful, but his voice had escaped his control and he could hear the desperate longing in it. He was clinging to every last straw of hope that somehow someone could do something about this painful situation. As it was, he wasn't sure how long he could stand it.

Morgana pointed at a point behind Merlin. 'That's what I mean,' she said. Arthur followed her gaze and his eyes landed on the Cup of Life that was still lying where it had fallen. It still looked positively bloody and Arthur was convinced it was heavily dented now, but he understood what Morgana meant. His mind flashed back to the last time they had been discussing the Cup's formidable powers, when Morgana had told him what it was capable of. _The Cup of Life is a powerful magical object, that can restore life to people that are dead or very close to death. Leon is an example of the latter, but in the first case the Old Religion will demand a life in return._

It hit him with the force of a lightning bolt. The Cup was capable of restoring life to someone who had already died. And here it was, within their grasp, with two sorcerers at his side who knew how to handle it. Alina wasn't lost to them. There was still hope. It was as if the weight of the world suddenly had been lifted from his shoulders.

'Do you mean…?' His voice trailed off, but he looked his sister right in the eye. Would it really be possible? He hardly allowed himself to hope for fear it would fade away when he started to believe in it.

Morgana nodded. 'It is possible, isn't it, Merlin?' she asked, turning to the warlock to back her up.

Arthur looked at his servant too, only to discover that Merlin was not looking as exited and hopeful as the Pendragon siblings did. Merlin looked perfectly horrified. 'Are you out of your minds?' he demanded. 'Have you forgotten that the Old Religion will demand a life in return if we decide to do this? And we may be perfectly all right with the idea of sacrificing ourselves for her, but I'll tell you that she won't be.'

And his hope was shattered to pieces. Even though he had been trying so hard not to start believing in the possibility, he now knew that deep down he had. And this was like losing her all over again. He had known his fiancée very well, well enough to know that she valued all their lives over her own. Her wish was for them to live.

_But I can't do this, not without you._ It had been hard enough when she had only been exiled. At least he had known that she was alive and healthy then. He had even been sure that one day she would return to them. And when he had first lost her, less than a week ago, she had been revived before the shock and pain could really kick in. But even then he had known that there was just no possibility of him doing what he needed to do without her there to help him do it. _I just can't do this._

'You can control who would die for her, can't you, Merlin?' Morgana asked. Arthur had known her long enough to know that she was not yet giving up on her idea. Once she got something in her head, it was impossible to get it out, even when what she wanted was just as undoable. 'Alina told me yesterday,' she added when Merlin didn't respond. 'She told me you killed Nimueh on the Isle of the Blessed, using her life in exchange for Gaius's, right?'

This story sounded somewhat familiar and Arthur started paying attention, even though he didn't understand how this could possibly be of use to them.

Merlin nodded. 'But it doesn't change anything. I'm not going to use one of our lives for this. Alina would kill us, revive us and kill us again if we as much as thought about it.'

Morgana's eyes had gone icy. 'I wasn't talking about any of us,' she informed them in a cold voice. 'I have a much better idea.' Her finger pointed at the sleeping tied-up form in a red dress on the other end of the room. 'I'd say we use her to bring back Alina.'

**Morgana**

Morgana didn't even feel a hint of remorse or guilt as she named Morgause as the one that needed to be sacrificed in order to bring Alina back to them. That woman had ceased to be family the moment she had ignored Morgana's explicit warning not to bother Camelot and at the moment she did her proposition she felt nothing but hate and loathing for her. She had been about to kill her only minutes ago and that feeling hadn't changed one bit now. That witch's life in exchange for Alina's sounded more than fair.

Merlin's eyes however had almost popped out of their sockets. 'What? But she's your sister!'

'She _was_ my sister,' Morgana corrected him. 'Whoever that woman is, she is not my sister anymore. We could use her.'

Merlin seemed to hesitate.

That angered her. 'Good heavens, Merlin, this is not the time to start being noble!' she exploded. 'She's an enemy and she won't be of any use to Camelot at all, ever. We _need_ Alina.' _Arthur needs Alina_. 'And I know you can do this, so why hesitate?'

A hint of a smile graced his face. 'That's not what I meant, Morgana,' he told her. 'I don't care about Morgause, it's just that I'm not sure I can do it.'

She frowned. 'What do you mean you're not sure you can do it?' she demanded.

'Well, I was angry at Nimueh when I… ehm…'

'Killed her,' Morgana helpfully finished. 'And you're not sure you're angry at Morgause?' How anyone could not be angry at that evil woman was almost beyond Morgana, but Merlin wasn't just anyone. Merlin was the kind of honourable fool that believed in second chances and forgiveness, even when no one else did. But that was not what they needed right now. They needed someone who could do what needed to be done and who didn't have any second thoughts about using Morgause's worthless life to restore the balance of the world. They needed…

It struck her with the force of a lightning bolt. Merlin shouldn't be the one to do it. He hadn't enough reasons to hate that witch. When he had killed Nimueh she had already caused a lot more damage than just killing Gaius. And there was no one who had more reasons to hate Morgause than Morgana Pendragon.

'I'll do it,' she announced, the words leaving her mouth before she had given them permission to do so. But deep down she also knew this was the way things needed to be. This was one of those things that was just meant to be. It was as if destiny had decided that ultimately no one but Morgana would have to be responsible for taking that woman's life. Alina would probably say the same thing when she was back with them again.

At least this got her Arthur's attention as well. His eyes were unnaturally red and swollen with the tears he'd shed and his posture betrayed how broken he was inside. He needed Alina with him. He really needed that, if only because he wasn't fit to lead otherwise. _Alina might just kill me, give me a tongue-lashing and kill me again if I stand by and let that happen._

But there was hope now in his eyes and if anything, that strengthened Morgana's plans. She had to do this. Because it was meant to be, although she had no idea how she was so sure of that. She just was.

'Stop looking at me as if I've grown another head!' she snapped at them. 'Just tell me how to do this. I know I can do it, you know.' Because if destiny meant for something to happen, it provided them with the means to do so. She could feel it pulling at her now. Something urged her to do this, to get Alina back, to… protect her.

_Oh no. Definitely not_. The realisation of what was actually the matter here slowly started to dawn on her and now she found herself cursing destiny. She had discussed briefly with Alina and Merlin what it was to have a destiny, only last night, even though that felt like ages ago. Merlin had described the feeling of needing to protect Arthur, even when he hadn't liked him at all the first time he had done it. It was almost instinct, he'd said. Alina had recalled an event when she had helped Arthur, when she had a choice between going back to her own time or protecting Arthur from bandits and she had chosen Arthur, almost in spite of herself. This felt like that.

So, what was this? Morgana remembered Alina saying she'd had the power to change legend, and her choice to bring Morgana back from the path she was walking had given a similar power to Morgana. But did they really have any power at all? Because now it would seem that Morgana was bound to protect Arthur's fiancée, the way Merlin was bound to protect Arthur.

And the similarities were striking. Both Arthur and Alina were royalty, persons that got themselves into a lot of trouble all the time. Arthur was best friends with Merlin, as Alina and Morgana were friends as well. And both Arthur and Alina definitely needed protection, and an awful lot of it at that, even when they both insisted they didn't need it. And Morgana felt more than she knew that destiny had now provided Alina with a protector of her own. Great, just great, as her protégée would say.

'I'm meant to do this,' she corrected herself, because that was just the truth, no matter how much she disliked that truth. And if she knew Alina at all, she wouldn't do a happy dance around the room when she learned this either. She was always independent, wanting to fix things herself. The very idea of someone being forced by destiny to look out for her might just send her into a full-blown tantrum worthy of Arthur in the early morning. But for that they had to revive her first.

'What do you mean?' Merlin was frowning, clearly not understanding a word of what she was saying.

'Destiny,' she snapped. 'Or that's what I think this is, at least.' Oh, who was she fooling anyway? She knew this was destiny. And there was no escaping it. And she hated the very thought of it.

_But you would have saved her anyway, wouldn't you?_ a small voice in the back of her head spoke up. _She's your friend as well as your responsibility. You wouldn't have let her die, even if there was no destiny telling you to at all._

And the voice was right. She would have done this anyway. Her own hatred towards Morgause, her own determination not to accept her best friend's death would have made her do this anyway. Destiny just made sure she would still do it if she hadn't wanted to do it, although she could not for the life of her figure out why it would think that she would not want to solve this mess in any way possible.

_What?_ Merlin asked over the mind link. _Like I have to protect Arthur?_

The fact that he understood this without her needing to spell it out for him brought a smile to her face. _I think so. It feels like what you described._

Merlin seemed to ponder it for a while and then just accepted it. _I understand_. Judging by that tone she could tell that he really did what it meant. He himself had been doing it for years. If anyone could explain to her what it was like to have to protect someone because of something destiny had decided, then it was surely him. So he didn't ask stupid questions about if she thought she would be able to do whatever it took. He didn't ask stupid questions anymore about if she could handle the fact that she was about to murder the woman she had once loved as a sister. Once destiny dictated something those things didn't seem to mean anything anymore.

Or not really anyway. Because Morgana did regret what had become of that once so close relationship. It would have been wonderful if Morgause could just have seen that her way just wasn't the way to achieve their ends. She had loved the feeling of finally being accepted, the feeling of not having to be constantly afraid anymore. But, if she was really honest, she had all those things right now and the acceptance of her friends only felt… healthy, she guessed was the word, while Morgause's acceptance was conditional, it would seem. It was only there when Morgana would give something to her in return. Only if Morgana helped her to bring down Camelot they could be friends. And as soon as Morgana had turned her back on the cause, Morgause has started to turn into an enemy.

_And she lied. She lied to me_. Morgana hated the thought even now. But Morgause had lied, about the prophecies and who knows what else. Because for Morgana that was where the real break had begun, with the lies and the realisation that, even while she didn't want to hear it most of the time back then, Alina had never ever lied to her. If she was unable to tell Morgana something, she would bluntly say it, or answer in riddles.

_I'm sorry that it has come to this, Morgause_, she thought at the blonde sorceress, not even sure that she would hear the message. _I really am. But your actions give me no other choice. You lied to me, you imprisoned me and now you've killed the woman that I am bound to protect. You've crossed the line and now there's no going back anymore_. Even to her the words sounded like a death sentence and once again she regretted all these events, leading to Alina's death and the necessity to kill Morgause in order to save the Court Sorceress.

_Oh, come on, Morgana, get a grip_, the voice in the back of her head helpfully commented. _That relationship died a long time ago. Like when she lied, when she put those blasted chains on you and maybe the fact that she just murdered your best friend in cold blood does deserve to be counted._

_You're right_. She took one deep breath and then nodded at Merlin. 'I'm ready,' she told him. 'Tell me how to do this.'

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**That's it for today. The next chapter should be up Wednesday. And there's only about four chapters left now, I guess. Please review and let me know what you thought about this chapter!**


	96. Chapter 96

**Hello, my dear readers. Here's the new chapter for you, after which the pitchforks hopefully can be stored away once and for all. Anyway, enjoy and review, please. Seriously, nothing makes me happier than opening my mail and seeing that there has been a new review posted.**

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**Chapter 96**

**Morgana**

Morgana didn't know what one was supposed to be feeling when you were about to kill your sister in order to bring back your best friend and protégée-decided-by-destiny from the dead, but she was quite sure nervous wasn't on that list. Of all the things she could and should be feeling, she was nervous, nervous that she would be unable to pull this off.

_You, Morgana Pendragon, are being complete and utter ridiculous_, she told herself as she watched Merlin make everything ready. He had talked her through the steps of the ritual and she was sure she had it all memorised correctly, she was certain of that. So those nerves were absolutely unnecessary.

And yet… What if her power wasn't great enough after all? What if she would be unable to bring back Alina, breaking Arthur's heart all over again, ruining Albion's future once and for all?

_I think you're being melodramatic_, Merlin commented.

Morgana stopped dead. She hadn't been aware that she had been thinking it at him. _Sorry, I didn't think you were listening._

_You know you're going to be fine, right? _He didn't look at her as they talked, instead carefully placing the Cup of Life under the opening in the ceiling, next to Morgause, who was now bound by magical chains as well as normal ropes.

_How do you know? _Morgana demanded. _What if I'm not powerful enough? What if this is one of destiny's tricks? It wouldn't be the first time._

_Nimueh could do it_, Merlin reasoned. _And she was far less powerful than you. It's just a matter of thinking logically. _He gave a mental shrug. _And if it really goes wrong, did you honestly think I would let her remain dead?_

That was the reassurance that she needed. It wasn't all down to her. Merlin would help if she was incapable of doing this. Somehow that made her feel a whole lot better. _Thank you, Merlin._

He offered her his widest grin. _That's what I'm here for_.

She smiled back, although a little hesitantly. Something had changed between them, how could there not have changed something after that kiss? She was fairly certain Alina would call it love. But they had been through so much and to be really honest, Morgana wasn't sure about how to behave around him anymore. What did you do when you had just confessed you were in love with your brother's manservant, who also happened to be the most powerful warlock of all times? She couldn't say she had any experience in that particular field. When all this was over they would need to get together and talk. A lot.

Her eyes wandered to Arthur, who was laying Alina's body on the floor. He had used his own cloak to make some kind of bed for her. Morgana had wanted to point out that Alina couldn't feel a thing and that it didn't matter whether she was lying on the cold stone floor or not. But Arthur needed this and so she let him.

Her musings were interrupted when someone knocked on the door.

'Shit!' Merlin cursed, a favourite of Alina's.

His assessment was pretty much spot on, though. Magic was still technically outlawed in Camelot, unless you were the Court Sorceress and she was otherwise engaged at the moment. What they were planning on doing was, strictly spoken, illegal.

'They can't see this,' Merlin whispered. His concerns were of another nature, Morgana realised. The warlock's eyes kept glancing nervously at Arthur, who was positioning Alina's body on the cloak. He still looked positively broken, even though there was a spark of hope in his eyes now.

And he was right. People couldn't see Arthur now, not like this. 'Let me deal with this,' she told him. 'Trust me?'

'With my life,' he replied immediately.

While this answer brought a smile to her face she had to admit that Merlin did have trust issues. He didn't distrust everyone, he trusted everyone. Had Alina not yet pointed out to him how dangerous that could be, especially when you had to look after such a trouble attracting specimen as Arthur Pendragon?

_Nothing wrong with trusting people_, he protested.

Oops, she had accidentally sent her thoughts to him again. _It is_, she disagreed.

_There is nothing wrong with trusting you_, he insisted.

Morgana glanced back at her half-brother. _Arthur doesn't seem to agree_. She still didn't know if he trusted her or not. He was trying to, that much she knew, but it wasn't the same thing as really having faith in someone.

_Arthur's a dollophead_, Merlin commented. _And he does trust you by the way._

_If you say so. Block them from sight, will you?_

She made for the door and opened it slightly, careful to not show these knockers anything of what was happening in here. 'What do you want?' she demanded, using her most arrogant and royal tone, the one she usually used when she was trying to scare people off.

She was met by the faces of two Camelot guards. That at least must mean they got out of the dungeons. 'We heard noise, my lady?' It came out as a question.

'We're fine,' Morgana told him. 'What is your business here?' She was painfully aware how tense her voice sounded and if she was trying to dispel their suspicion, that was about the worst way she could possibly come up with.

'The prince's presence is required as a matter of urgency,' the guard told her. She caught his companion trying to peek into the room and moved into his line of sight. 'And so are the Court Sorceress and you, my lady.'

Uh oh. 'We have some unfinished business to attend to first,' Morgana told him as in as cool as voice as she could manage. 'We will come as soon as we are done here.'

'But, my lady…'

'I am the Lady Morgana Pendragon,' she snapped at them, straightening her back and looking down on them, which was quite the achievement since they were about as tall as she was. 'Daughter to the king and sister to the crown prince. I think you'll find that I am the one to order you things, not the other way around.'

They looked properly ashamed. 'Of course, my lady.'

'Good,' she said. 'And now we have established that, I want you to stay guard outside this door and I am commanding you not to let anyone in, including yourselves. No matter what you see, no matter what you hear, you'll stay here and prevent anyone else from entering. I do not want to be disturbed. Have I made myself clear?'

'Of course, my lady, but…'

She didn't have the patience for this and ended the conversation by simply slamming the door in their annoying faces. They were guards and they would do as she told them, even if they didn't want to. She was the daughter of Uther Pendragon, after all. Her orders were to be obeyed.

'Are you ready?' Merlin asked.

Morgana nodded. She was as ready as she was ever going to be for this. Better get it over with now. 'I am.' She noticed with satisfaction that her voice betrayed absolutely nothing of the nerves she felt. She glanced at Morgause. 'Does she have to be awake for this?' As much as she hated her sister now, she could all too easily imagine the fear of standing there, awaiting your own death. She wouldn't really wish that on anyone.

'Not sure,' Merlin told her. 'Nimueh was awake when I did it back then. But I don't think it really matters.' He looked at her and frowned. 'Are you really sure you are up to this, Morgana?'

She tried to give an imitation of Alina's run-and-hide look. 'Will you just stop worrying, Merlin? I'll be fine.' Because of the nerves it came out harsher than she had actually meant it.

He shrugged. 'It's just, she was your family once.'

'Yes, _once_,' Morgana emphasised. 'She isn't so now. Give me the Cup?'

He handed her the magical object. It felt strangely heavy in Morgana's hands, yet somehow it felt appropriate. She could feel the Cup's power tickling her skin where she held it, as if it was measuring her, determining if she was worthy to wield it. Somehow she got the impression that it liked her, if such a thing could be said about a lifeless object.

'I can do this,' she told Merlin. 'It's like it has accepted me.'

Merlin offered her half a grin. It didn't reach his eyes yet. The situation was far too serious for that. 'Morgause trained you to be a High Priestess,' he pointed out. 'They had the power to use the Cup. I think you have it now. You remember what needs to be done?'

Morgana nodded, looking up at the crack in the ceiling and the clear blue sky above it. Morgause was lying right underneath that gap. Yes, she could do this. 'I do.'

But she should have known things never went that smoothly. Morgause chose that moment to wake up from the enchanted sleep Morgana had cast on her. She blinked a few times and then focused on Morgana, who had half raised the Cup to the sky, about to start the ritual.

'Sister!' she exclaimed, getting to her feet. She wanted to make a run for it, but Merlin's spell froze her into place before she could take a step. 'Sister, what are you doing?' There was definitely panic in her voice.

'Rectifying a grave error,' Morgana replied. 'I am sorry about this, Morgause. But we cannot allow you to live, especially not when your death will bring back Alina from the dead.'

Realisation finally dawned in Morgause's eyes. 'You would choose that woman over me?' The question was no more than a shocked whisper.

Morgana nodded solemnly. 'Yes, I would. She is my sister now.' She could almost feel the last threads that bound her to Morgause being cut with those words. 'It's destiny.'

Morgause's jaw dropped. 'No, Morgana!'

'It's my destiny to protect the Once and Future Queen.' Morgana heard how cold she sounded and for once, she didn't care. 'You would see that future destroyed and therefore I can't allow you to live. I am sorry, Morgause. God knows I wished you had listened to me before, but it's too late for either of us to turn back now.' She raised the Cup a little higher, until it was above her head.

'_Sister_.' The words were spoken with both mouth and mind. And heart.

Morgana closed herself off. No, it was too late. She had meant what she had said. She only had to look at Alina's broken body to remind her of what was at stake here. Morgause had murdered the Court Sorceress to win Morgana back over. The very thought made her sick again. And as long as Morgause was alive, Alina would never be safe. That was one thing she could not ever allow to happen. Like Mordred had been Arthur's Doom, so was Morgause Alina's.

But the future was not written in stone and destiny had decided for Morgana to be one of the two persons that would be allowed to change what had been prophesised ages ago. And like it had been Merlin's task to kill Mordred, so it was hers to kill Morgause. And that was what she would do.

She took a deep breath and started the incantation, careful to pronounce each word just right. '_Ic, séo héahsácerd, þe ácwile strengþe ealdan æwfæstnesse_!'

She knew the spell had worked almost immediately. The sky above their heads started darkening, heavy clouds gathering where only just the sun had shone. The air chilled, making Morgana shiver, but she remained in place, with the Cup raised high and her eyes locked on the magical object. In that moment, she felt powerful. She had known that she was before, but now she felt it with every fibre of her being.

'Sister!' Morgause's tone was both desperate and scared.

And Morgana could not withstand it. Her eyes left the Cup and settled on the woman that had been the only family she knew for over a year. 'I am sorry,' she whispered, not sure if Morgause could even hear it over the rolling of the thunder that was drawing nearer with the second.

'_I love you_.' The sound of those words was drowned out by the thunder, but Morgana could hear them in her head and heart. They were so intense she could not doubt the sincerity in them. Morgause did truly care for her. That was what made this whole affair so infinitely tragic.

'I am sorry,' she repeated.

And then the lightning struck, right where Morgause was standing. Once, twice. Morgana couldn't tell. She closed her eyes, but the light was so bright that she could almost see what happened through her eyelids. Morgause screamed, one long high-pitched noise that made Morgana's heart almost break with pity. But then it ended. The light intensified so much it was almost blinding, even when you had your eyes closed. There was too much of everything in that moment: too much noise, too much light, too much rain.

And then it ended. With one final scream it ended. The light ended, most of the noise ended. Only the rain stayed. It soaked her, but Morgana couldn't really care about it. She was trying to decide whether she should feel relieved or heartbroken. Those two emotions were fighting for dominance inside of her, leaving her feeling extremely vulnerable.

'You did it,' Arthur whispered.

That made her open her eyes, looking at the scene. The place where Morgause had been, was empty now. Nothing even suggested now that someone had even been there, apart from the burn on the stone floor. Morgause was gone, dead, claimed by the Old Religion as the price for Alina's life.

She lowered the Cup of Life, her arms cramping because of its weight. 'Is she alive?' Because that was all that really mattered now, wasn't it?

Merlin bended over. When he looked up his face was more serious than she had ever seen it before. 'I can't feel a pulse.'

**Alina**

The first thing that Alina noticed as she started to wake up was that she was lying very uncomfortably on a cold and especially wet floor. And she must be outside somewhere, because it was raining. No, rain was definitely an understatement. It was practically pouring.

_Where am I?_ That seemed a very important question. Everything that had happened before she started to come round was vague, a blurry memory that she had trouble digging up again. They had been fighting, Arthur and she, that much was clear. They had won, she thought. Yes, they had definitely been winning. Arthur had wielded the magical sword well, almost as if it was a natural extension of his right arm, killing the immortal soldiers Morgause and Cenred had stationed in the room where she had placed the Cup of Life. There had been guards outside as well, and they had dealt with them. All had gone well. So how had she ended up like this? It seemed unlikely that she had just fallen asleep somewhere.

Her memory became even blurrier as she tried to fill in the missing pieces in her head. They had killed the guards in the room, but then? She vaguely recalled seeing the Cup, urging Arthur to knock it over. And then, nothing.

Someone touched her neck and then held her hand. 'I can't feel a pulse.' The voice saying that sounded a little panicked, sounded like Merlin.

'Seriously, Merlin?' she asked, opening her eyes, but immediately closing them when the rain poured straight in them. 'And you call yourself a physician's apprentice?'

'Alina!' he exclaimed. This exclamation was followed by an experience of nearly being hugged to death. She was yanked into a sitting position and grabbed so tightly she struggled for breath.

'Merlin, can't breathe!' She did a second attempt at opening her eyes and now found herself looking at Merlin's soaked hair. 'Let me go, please?'

He complied. 'It's so good to see you again.'

'Yes, likewise?' It came out as a question, because she tried and absolutely failed to comprehend what on earth was going on here.

Merlin let go of her only to be immediately replaced by Arthur, who grabbed her in a copy of Merlin's suffocating hug. 'I thought I had lost you.' His voice sounded infinitely relieved. In the short moment she had seen his face he had looked like he had been crying not so long ago. Now that puzzled her. Arthur wasn't one for crying, at all. He just didn't do that.

'Eh, could someone please explain to me what on earth has happened here?' She carefully freed herself to look at the other persons in the… room? Weren't they outside?

She looked up at the sky and saw the answer for herself. Something had happened to the roof while she was still being busy lying unconscious. There was now a huge hole in it and the rain was pouring in unhindered. No wonder she had thought they were outside.

'You were dead,' Morgana replied softly. She stood a little farther off, a worried expression on her face, mixed with something that Alina thought might be relief.

'I thought we had already established that I wasn't,' she disagreed. 'I mean, it's not my fault Merlin is so hopeless at being a physician that he can't even feel a pulse properly, but…' She stopped abruptly as she saw her clothes. The others were still dressed in their armour, but somehow she had ended up being dressed in the blue dress that had been torn apart by Sigan's little pets years ago. _What on earth…?_ 'Whose bright idea was it to put me in a dress?' she demanded. 'Never mind that. Where's my armour?'

Merlin looked a bit guilty. 'That is your armour,' he confessed. 'I just transformed it.'

'And why on earth would you do that?' At the moment Merlin didn't make much more sense than that stupid dragon.

'Because you were dead.' There was not a trace of humour to be found in either Merlin's voice or face.

'Because I was dead,' she repeated stupidly, still not understanding. 'Because I was…' She fell silent when she saw the object Morgana was holding in her hands. 'Dead,' she finished, unable to grasp the meaning of what had really happened. 'I was dead?'

'You were.' Arthur pulled her in an embrace again, holding her as if he never wanted to let her go again.

Alina's mind was working at top speed. She had been dead. She didn't remember anything of it, but judging from her friends' expression, she had been. And there was something wrong with that. Because if she had been dead, and that she didn't really doubt, and here Morgana was holding the Cup and the rain was pouring like that one time Merlin had used the magic to kill Nimueh, then that could only mean one thing.

'Are you crazy?' she exploded. 'Have you all lost your bloody minds? Who did you choose?' She quickly scanned their faces, to see if anyone was feeling the least bit ill. But apart from them being soaking wet, there was nothing extraordinary to be seen.

'Told you she'd be mad,' Merlin muttered under his breath.

Well, at least he knew her well enough to know she would not be taking this well. 'Like hell I am,' she fumed. She didn't really use that kind of words anymore. It attracted a lot of attention and weird faces around here, but she was so angry and scared for them now that she forgot all about it. Had they gone completely crazy in that short time she was out? 'And Merlin, could you please stop that awful rain from turning this place into a swimming pool?'

Merlin muttered something and the rain ended abruptly. 'Better?' he asked, offering her his widest smile.

But she was not quite in the forgiving mood just yet. 'Who was it?' she insisted. 'Whose life did you bargain?'

'Morgause's, actually,' Morgana told her matter-of-factly.

That made her stop dead. 'You used Morgause to bring me back?' That was good news, she guessed, but it was as unpredicted as it was welcome.

'It seemed like a fair deal,' Morgana shrugged.

Alina studied her friend carefully, but could not detect one sign that it was not exactly as she had said. Morgana meant it. 'You think so?' she asked for good measure. 'She was your sister, after all.'

'No, she wasn't,' the witch disagreed immediately. 'You are.'

Alina blinked a few times, but she could tell Morgana meant it. And if that was true, which it no doubt was, then it would explain a few things, like why Morgana had chosen Alina over Morgause and apparently didn't regret it. A careful smile started forming. Maybe her friends had gone about this in the right way after all.

'Thank you,' she said. 'All of you.' There was just nothing else to be said. They had gone to the extremes to save her and now it turned out they hadn't been trying to get themselves killed in the process, she was just grateful to still be able to be with them.

'You're welcome,' Morgana smiled. 'Even though it is just my destiny.'

Alina frowned and was about to ask what she meant by that, when they were interrupted by frantic knocking on the door. 'My lady?' someone called. That someone sounded remarkably like Leon. 'Lady Morgana?'

Said lady rolled her eyes. 'It seems like I was speaking… whatever it is what you call it when I said I didn't want to be disturbed,' she muttered.

'Chinese,' Alina filled in the blank space.

'Exactly.' Morgana marched over to the door as Alina and Arthur got to their feet. Arthur's arms were still wrapped around her waist and it didn't feel like he was about to let her go any time soon. She didn't really mind now.

'I thought I ordered you two not to disturb me.' Morgana turned on the two guards that had been outside as soon as she opened the door. 'Have you gone deaf?'

'My lady, I am sorry to disturb you.' It was sir Leon who replied. The very fact that he was being so formal told Alina immediately that something was wrong. He didn't do that anymore, not usually, when everything was okay.

She marched over to the door, dragging Arthur with her because he still didn't let her go. 'What do you mean, sir Leon?' she asked.

If the knight thought anything about all of them being wet and Alina wearing a dress so shortly after the battle, then he didn't mention it. 'It is the king, my lady,' he replied. 'We got him out of the dungeons and back to his room, but I fear he may not have long anymore.'

It took her a few moments to connect the dots. 'Are you saying…?' She failed to complete the sentence, because this was just all wrong. Legend didn't go like that!

But in reality, it did. 'The king is dying, my lady.'

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**That's it for today! Next chapter might get pretty emotional, so you're warned! Anyway, only three chapters left to go and then this story will be finished!**

**Please review?**


	97. Chapter 97

**Hello dearest readers. First, let me apologise for the ridiculously short chapter. I have been drowning in work lately and unfortunately I won't be able to do any writing this week. Believe me, I hate it more than you do. Anyway, I felt I couldn't leave you without at least another chapter. So, here it is. Please review!**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 97**

**Arthur**

Arthur was quite sure he had endured enough shocks for one day, or possibly for an entire lifetime. He was also quite sure he would suffer a heart attack if anything was added. The fact that sir Leon's announcement didn't cause one would have surprised him, if he hadn't been too preoccupied with the message itself.

His father was dying? No, that had to be some kind of sick joke. His father was the strongest man Arthur had ever encountered in his entire life. And Alina had been so convinced he would make it out alive.

'You said…' he whispered to her, unable to hold the words back.

Alina's face didn't betray any hurt she might have felt at those words. If anything, she radiated anger. Her grip on his hand tightened and the expression on her face mostly didn't bode well either.

'Legend's tricks,' she whispered. 'It's playing with us again and I can't for the life of me figure out why.' The last sentence was more of a hiss than a whisper. For some reason Arthur suspected that she did now, but didn't want to share it.

They were walking, no running now, trying to get to the king before he would breathe his last. Arthur was desperately trying to keep his own fear for his father's wellbeing at bay. In his mind his father was someone who was always there and who would never leave. And while with his head he knew that someday his father would die, he had always seen it as an event that was not in the foreseeable future.

But here he was, confronted with the thing he dreaded most. No, not most. He realised, feeling a little guilty as he did so, that he would be able to move on after his father's passing. He wouldn't break, not the way he had when he thought Alina had been taken from him forever. He would mourn, but he would survive.

Alina's hand was squeezing his hand so hard his knuckles turned white. Her jaw was clenched and the look in her eyes might have sent the bravest knights running for cover. It was the look that told everyone that she was on the warpath.

'You know something,' he whispered at her. It wasn't a question. He knew it.

She shook her head. 'No, I don't. I suspect. And I hope to God that I am wrong about this.'

'Tell me.' He took her shoulders, forcing her to both stop and look at him, beckoning the others to move on. 'Alina, please, don't hold out on me now.'

She avoided to meet his eyes. 'It's only a suspicion, Arthur, and nothing more, I won't make you worry, or freak out over something that might not be true at all.'

But he knew this kind of behaviour. When she was fretting like this, it usually meant that her suspicion was spot on and he wanted to know. They had wasted enough time keeping secrets. The time for that was over.

'I'm ordering you,' he told her.

There was only a hint of anger in her eyes as she glared at him. 'Not funny, Arthur Pendragon,' she informed him. 'The point is…' She hesitated a moment before continuing. 'Before the battle, at the meeting at the round table I was discussing something with Merlin. We both felt like destiny had become impatient, as if it was pushing forward to the end, no matter what.'

Arthur nodded, but failed to understand what she meant. 'How is that relevant?' He hated that his confusion was just leaking through.

Alina swallowed. 'Well, think of it,' she said. 'Mordred wasn't supposed to be involved in all this for another few years. Yet here he was, trying to kill you as prophesised. One way or the other, it was as if destiny demanded a result. And now we hear your father is dying…' Her voice trailed off.

And the dots connected. 'You think destiny planned for this to happen!' He really couldn't help that it came out rather loudly.

'To make sure you would become king,' she finished, angry. 'Yes, that's exactly what I think.' She shook her head in disgust. 'It makes me want to throw up just thinking about it, really.'

Arthur knew the feeling. 'Do you think you can…?' he wondered.

A mischievous smile split her face, making her eyes spark again. 'We already cheated death twice today.' She shrugged. 'Who's to say we can't pull it off a third time as well?'

Arthur suddenly felt completely reassured.

**Morgana**

Morgana was mainly cursing herself on the way down to the king's chambers. If she had only found a way to get Uther out with her when Alina broke them all out, this would not have happened, she was sure. If she had just put a bit more effort in it, if she had just tried to heal his legs, if only well enough for him to move, Morgause would not have been able to harm him.

Merlin gave her hand a gentle squeeze. 'Are you all right?' he asked in a worried voice.

There was a snappy remark on the tip of her tongue, something along the lines of how on earth she was supposed to be fine while her father was dying, but the look in Merlin's eyes made her change her mind. 'I'll be fine.' That was a lie of course, but he was looking at her in a way that made her feel like he could look straight through her. He would know how she felt anyway.

And almost as if on command the reassuring grin appeared on his face. 'You will be,' he promised her.

She didn't know why, but when he said that she immediately believed him. Even when she knew that things looked pretty hopeless, when Merlin said something with so much conviction, she could not help but believe him. Like when he had said that they would win the battle, that she would succeed in bringing back Alina, and it all had come true. She would be fine in the end, if only because Merlin told her so. A small voice in the back of her head whispered that he had not promised her that Uther would be fine as well. She forced herself not to dwell on it.

'I know,' she replied, pushing open the door to Uther's chamber.

Merlin tried to wriggle his hand out of hers, looking very uncomfortable all of a sudden.

'What are you doing?' she demanded.

His answer was mostly inaudible, but she could make out the words _nobles_, _king_ and _inappropriate_.

'Screw them,' she replied, using a phrase of Alina's the princess only used when she was really pissed off and didn't care about anyone's opinion. She had no idea when she had become so reckless that she didn't care about people's opinions anymore, although she suspected it had begun sometime during the battle that had lost them Camelot in the first place. Somehow using her magic for everyone to see had been a turning point for her. She was just being who she was now and for the first time ever she was not afraid or ashamed of it. It was a good thing to be feeling and she wasn't going to lose it now because of some potentially disapproving nobles. 'We're together now and they had better get used to it.'

That made Merlin's cheeks colour bright red, but Morgana ignored it. After she had brought back Alina she felt there was actually very little she couldn't do.

**Arthur**

Arthur felt like someone had just lighted up a little flame of hope somewhere in his chest. Not all was lost. Alina would still try and make it all right, as she had countless times before. All the worry and anxiety had been gone. He couldn't even explain why he felt so reassured. Alina's words should have scared the living daylights out of him. Destiny was trying to reach a conclusion? He tended to agree with her on that one at least. There was after all no other logical explanation why Mordred had shown up long before he was destined to. The fact that his father was now dying, unless of course someone did something about that, only so that Arthur could take the throne, that sounded sick to him. But then, it also sounded logical. Too logical.

'Do you think you can do it?' he wondered. The words had left his mouth before he had given them permission to do so. Why had he asked? Didn't he trust her?

'I think so,' Alina replied, but her face had gone back straight into crisis mode the moment she had heard Leon's message and she had yet to come out of it. 'It depends on what Morgause did to him. But I'll try, Arthur. You know I will.' For someone who said she was sure, she sounded rather uncertain to him.

'I know.' And those stupid doubts just kept popping up. 'But have you ever done it? Directly taking on the will of destiny?' he clarified. 'I mean, up till now you have always followed your destiny. You have never really tried to take it on. You changed legend as you know it, but that was what destiny wanted.' He got a feeling that destiny for some reason didn't wish for his father to be saved and that idea worried him more than he would ever dare to admit, even to his future bride.

Of course, she didn't actually need him to tell her how he felt. Thanks to that weird connection, she already knew. Alina huffed, looking right ahead, not meeting his eyes. 'I did, once. Take on my destiny. When I swore never to marry you. That didn't exactly work out as I planned.'

The feeling of dread returned, turning his stomach into knots.

She must have felt that, too, because she stopped him in the middle of the hallway, forcing him to look at her. The fire, defiance even, burned in her eyes. It was her run-and-hide look and the stupid thought that destiny could better find a good place to hide shot through his head. 'We're not defeated yet, Arthur,' she reminded him. 'And since when has it been like you to give up without a fight anyway?'

He nodded. She was right. There was still hope. It would be up to them to do the unthinkable and defy destiny. It was time to make their own lives.

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**That's it for today. As you may have guessed this story is now going to be one chapter longer than originally planned, so you've got still three new chapters to look forward to. I'm not sure when the next update will be, but I'll try to have it up asap. In the meantime your reviews mean a lot to me!**


	98. Chapter 98

**Hello, dear readers. I know you were all thinking I wasn't going to update for a week, but I found some time and wrote the second part of chapter 97, which is now chapter 98 (does everyone know what I mean?). That's also the reason this chapter isn't that long either. 97 and 98 were originally meant to be one single chapter. **

**Anyway, only two chapters left to go. It would be so great if this story could at least have 300 reviews by its conclusion, so would you please review and tell me what you think?**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 98**

**Morgana**

Morgana took a deep breath as she mentally braced herself before she went in and faced her father. She was glad she had Merlin for company, because the thought of going in here alone made her want to run in the opposite direction almost immediately. The fact that she had just saved Arthur's life and Alina's seemed to have escaped her mind momentarily, as uther dominated her thoughts once again. She had left him. She had left him to save herself. There was just no escaping that notion.

_You'll be fine_, Merlin's mental voice repeated.

_But I left him!_ In the end it was really as simple as that. Never mind that he had all but ordered her to go, she had had a choice. She could have at least tried to do something. But she hadn't. She hadn't even given it a try. She had run out like the coward she was and had left him at Morgause's mercy.

_He ordered you to_, Merlin pointed out. _He wanted you to be safe. He probably was happy that you did as you did._

Morgana frowned. _How would you know?_

His face showed a small smile. _Have you ever seen my mother fussing over me? It's a parent thing. They can't help themselves._

He said it with such conviction that he managed to reign in some of her panic. _So stop being such a baby and get in there._ That voice in the back of her head was sounding more and more like Alina, copying her favourite phrases.

The king's bedchamber looked remarkably crowded. Morgana spotted some of the lords, including the much disliked Lord Harold, who their little group had secretly nicknamed the Grumpy. Gaius was present as well. Morgana didn't like the look on his face at all.

'My lords,' she acknowledged them.

Harold the Grumpy made a point of sending her the iciest glare he could possibly manage. Morgana tried to ignore him, but it was hard. It was all very well that Uther and Arthur had accepted her magic, but these nobles most definitely hadn't.

'Father,' she heard herself say, approaching the bed. The nobles moved out of the way as if she had some kind of contagious disease. Morgana pretended not to notice. Now that things were back to normal, it would seem the nobles had returned to their habit of hating magic as well. Had she not known she had the protection of the king and prince, she might have done a runner anyway, no matter what Merlin said.

Uther was lying in the back, his expression kind, but the rest of his appearance gave Morgana a shock. He was as pale as a sheet. No, come to think of it, he was more grey-faced than anything else. This could not possibly be healthy. It's the face of a dying man. The thought was as terrifying as it was true.

'Father,' she repeated. The word sounded alien to her. It was hard to see the man she had feared for so long as a father figure, but she guessed he was. He had put her over everything else. Like Merlin had said, he had been fussing over her. The only thing wrong with that was that now he was paying the price for it. That thought snapped her out of her gloomy mood. Had Morgause not been dead already, Morgana would have been pleased to kill her, if only for this.

'Morgana.' There was no mistaking that caring tone. 'You made it.'

She forced her face back into a smile. 'I did,' she agreed. 'And so will you. Alina is on her way. She can heal you.'

Gaius looked doubtful. 'My lady…'

She ignored him too. 'Hold on just a little longer, father. She will be here soon.'

Uther's smile told her he didn't really believe it, although he appreciated her efforts. 'Morgana, listen.' His voice was much too feeble for her liking. 'When I'm gone, look after Arthur. He will need all the support he can get.' She tried to interrupt him, but one motion of his hand silenced her. 'No, child, none of that. He needs strong allies.'

It was better not to protest against this. He would be out and about in no time. He had to be. 'Of course,' she therefore promised.

Lord Harold looked like he had been forced to eat a pound of mud or something worse. The frown had deepened so much that Morgana half expected that it would be etched into his forehead permanently. He would certainly throw a hissy fit as soon as the first council meeting, demanding Morgana's execution or banishment, she did not doubt. Lord Harold had been amongst the people that had her seen using magic and it went without saying that he had not been pleased about that. How it was even possible for him to fuss about something like that in the very middle of the battle was entirely beyond her, but then, this was Lord Harold they were talking about. He had gotten his nickname for a reason, one that became increasingly clear as time passed.

'You must tell him to change the law,' Uther whispered.

He lost her now. 'What law?' she questioned.

'The law on magic.' Uther's voice was barely audible now, but his eyes were burning with determination. He knew what he was talking about. 'Tell him you must be free, Morgana. Tell him.'

Morgana was unsure of what to feel. She took Uther's hand with the one that wasn't holding Merlin. He had accepted her, truly accepted her. He was even willing to change the law on magic for her sake. For Alina he had made an exception, but for Morgana he was willing to change the law he had fought so hard to uphold. The tears that welled up in her eyes almost prevented her from speaking.

'My lord!' Harold protested.

Uther paid him no mind. 'Tell him, Morgana,' he insisted.

She nodded. 'I will. Rest assured. You shouldn't be tiring yourself, father. Isn't that right, Gaius?'

The court physician's eyes told her that there really was no hope, no matter how much she wanted things to be changed.

'No,' she whispered. 'Gaius, there has to be something you can do?' Had someone told Morgana a year ago that she would beg someone to save Uther's life, she would have declared him either drunk or insane, or both. Right now, she couldn't care less about what that Morgana from a year ago would have thought about this. Right now she only wanted for her father to be saved.

'I'm afraid there's nothing I can do, my lady,' Gaius told her softly.

Morgana was about to give up hope, when a familiar voice suddenly spoke up: 'You are not able to do something, but I am.'

Alina had arrived.

**Alina**

Alina knew she would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous about doing this. Good heavens, she had never been so nervous about anything in her entire life. What if she wasn't capable of pulling this off? What is she messed up? Would everyone blame her for the death of the king? And, more importantly, would Arthur blame her?

Lord Harold clearly blamed her already. His gaze would suffice to make anyone drop dead on the spot. His stare was so intense that she was half surprised she wasn't dead already. But she would not let one grumpy noble keep her from doing what she had come here to do.

It was time to do something about destiny's will to manipulate their lives. She had let it do that for quite long enough already. She had started out fighting it, but had soon found that it was hopeless to stay away from Arthur and Camelot, because they drew her to them like a magnet. So, then she had changed strategy, setting out to change the legend as she knew it. And she had been content doing that, until she had come to realise that doing what destiny had intended had her going into the latest crisis all but blind.

And of course it had to be this particular crisis that would have to be so extremely complicated, especially since destiny seemed to have decided it was about time that Albion either came into being or would be lost to them forever. That realisation had slowly started to dawn on her back in the ruined castle. Back then her worry had mostly been Arthur, but now she understood that it was not just Arthur she should have worried about. Uther should have been a main concern of hers as well. Because he was still king, Arthur couldn't take the throne yet. Destiny wanted, needed him removed in order for the prophecies to come true.

_And destiny can put that plan where the sun doesn't shine,_ she fumed silently. This was just sick and she would do everything in her power to change this. That power, the power to change, had been given to her and if there ever was a time to use it, it would be now.

How could this even happen? How could anyone come up with the idea to kill someone to get their way? That made them as bad as Morgause and Mordred had been.

'My lady,' Gaius started.

She silenced him with a simple gesture of her hand. The last thing she needed to hear now was how impossible this task was. 'Don't say it,' she warned him. 'Can you tell me what is ailing him?'

Gaius's look still told her it was an impossible mission, but she made a point of ignoring that. 'He has been stabbed multiple times, Alina,' he replied. 'And I suspect magic has done some damage as well, although I can't quite determine how severe. But he is bleeding on the inside.'

That last sentence caused a cold shiver to run down her spine. She had heard that before, in the actual show. Destiny really has one twisted sense of humour.

'Are you all right?' Arthur asked. He had yet to let go off her hand. She didn't think he had really let go off her ever since Morgana had revived her and she seriously doubted he had done that much when she had been not so alive as she was now.

'Just a feeling,' she muttered. 'I'm fine.' And then, in a somewhat louder voice: 'Has he been checked for any suspicious objects? Necklaces, pieces of jewellery, anything that might be a vessel for a spell?'

If Gaius thought it strange that she should ask about that, he didn't show. 'He was stripped of any adornments when we found him,' the old physician replied. 'Had there been something, I would have known.'

Alina nodded. 'Thank you, Gaius.'

'Can you hurry up, please?' To her surprise it was Morgana that looked at her with desperation in her eyes. 'Quickly, he's growing weaker!'

_Right, girl, you can do this_, she told herself, marching over to the bed with more confidence than she actually felt. _Don't be such a baby, Alina. There is no spell and you have healed far worse injuries._

Uther's eyes settled on her and she smiled reassuringly at him. 'Hold still, my lord. It will only be a few seconds.'

'Thank you,' the king whispered.

_Thank me when all this is done_. But she showed nothing of her unease and smiled again. 'Arthur, I am going to need both my hands for this.' She looked meaningfully at their hands.

Arthur's grin looked rather sheepish. 'Of course.'

Once she had the use of both her hands back, she held them over Uther's chest and started the incantation, speaking each word clearly and slowly for fear of messing up if she worked too quickly. There was a chance to get this right now and she'd be damned if she ruined it.

Lord Harold's gaze was so intense she could almost literally burn on her skin, but she ignored him, speaking the last words of the spell, knowing that her eyes flashed gold as she spoke the final word.

The effect was immediate. The colour returned to Uther's cheeks, his breathing became deeper and stronger and she could have sworn that his grip on Morgana's hands had tightened. It had worked. She had really done it.

'How are you feeling, my lord?' she asked, hardly allowing the hope in her voice to show. What if Morgause had still managed to find a way of slipping an enchanted object somewhere on Uther, or maybe even somewhere hidden in or under the bed? What if, what if? Her mind had started to think out worst case scenarios without her giving it permission to do so.

_Stop it!_ she snapped at herself. _None of this. You did it. End of story. It really is as simple as that._

Uther managed to get himself into a sitting position. 'I haven't felt so good in ages,' he said, the wonder obvious in his voice.

Alina allowed herself a hesitant smile, but she had to be sure first before she would allow the relief to take over. 'No pain? Nothing?' Surely if such an enchantment had been placed on him it should be starting to work now, wouldn't it?

'Just tired, Alina,' the king replied.

She let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding as the relief really washed over her. She had done it. She had shown herself and everyone else that it was not impossible for anyone to directly take on destiny. No matter that she had thrown everything that was meant to be right out of the window. Sometimes, she guessed, it was just more important to save those people you cared about. And somehow Uther had managed to obtain a place in her heart. No idea when or how that had happened, but somewhere down the road he had become a father figure for her as well.

'That's only natural, sire,' Gaius spoke in his best patient-reassuring voice. 'We will let you rest.'

The nobles started to leave the room, most of them nodding their respect at the Court Sorceress. It shouldn't have surprised her that Lord Harold marched straight past her, obviously still not approving of her. But then, had she really expected that he ever would? Some things weren't meant to be changed, and Lord Harold was just one of those things.

So Alina had no idea who of the people in the room was the most surprised as Lord Harold the Grumpy suddenly stopped at the door and half turned around, after which he gave a clearly visible nod in her direction. He was gone before anyone could react.

A small smile tugged at her lips. Maybe wonders did never cease…

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**Okay, honestly, who saw this one coming? Please tell me what you hated and loved about this chapter! **

**I'm not really certain when I'll be able to update again, but let's hope it's soon.**


	99. Chapter 99

**Hello, dear readers. I don't know that when I say I won't upload in a certain week, I just keep on writing. Anyway, I just wanted to get this done, so here it is. And there's only one epilogue left to go now. And you all know I live for reviews, so please let me know what you think!**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 99**

**Arthur**

Arthur had no idea what had gotten into him. He had been sweaty and restless ever since he had woken. His stomach felt like it had been turning itself into tight knots, very tight knots and he felt somewhat unbalanced on his feet. He was sure something was wrong with him and of course he could not have chosen a worse moment to get sick.

Merlin, who was organising his wardrobe, looked at him like he had grown another head. 'What is wrong with you?' The tone reminded Arthur a lot of the tone he himself used whenever he was annoyed with the warlock.

But he was feeling too bad to joke about it. 'I think I'm coming down with something,' he confessed, falling unceremoniously into a chair.

Understanding dawned on Merlin's face. 'Indecision,' he stated and, turning back to the wardrobe, he added: 'I hope it's not catching.'

Indecision? 'I feel slightly sick,' Arthur admitted. 'I don't think indecision had anything to do with it.'

Merlin chuckled. 'It's definitely indecision,' he decided. 'Well, that's marriage for you.'

Arthur frowned. 'Really?' Since when was Merlin such an expert on this subject anyway? It was not like he had ever gotten married before, like Arthur was going to do today. He knew his servant and Morgana had been close since the battle, very close even, but he had no idea they were already talking about taking their relationship, if that was what it was, any further so soon already. 'Wait, are you and Morgana…?'

'None of your business,' his servant told him, but his cheeks colouring bright red told Arthur everything he needed to know.

'You are, aren't you?' he exclaimed. 'Merlin, if you have done anything to her, then I swear to God…'

'I wouldn't!' Merlin exclaimed in righteous indignation before turning his back at the prince again. 'And since when do you want to know what Morgana and I are up to anyway? I'm not telling you how to treat Alina either, am I?'

'Morgana is my sister!' Arthur pointed out. 'It is very much a concern of mine, thank you very much.'

Merlin snorted. 'First you're telling me not to fall in love with her because she was supposed to be dangerous for me and now you're telling me not to love her because I can be dangerous for her? Make up your mind, will you? And at least I'm not a dollophead about it all, or indecisive,' he added with a mischievous grin.

'I. Am. Not. Indecisive,' Arthur stated.

'It's all right,' Merlin assured him, although that grin undermined the effect somewhat. 'The thought of spending your whole life with someone? That is bound to make you feel a bit under the weather. This is a huge commitment you're making.'

_He's right_, Arthur realised as the panic started to rise. Was he even ready to do this? Wasn't he rushing into it? Had he taken enough time to consider what it would all mean? After all, it was only a month after the battle that had ended Morgause's reign. The witch had died and Cenred was still in the dungeons until his brother Lot, the new king, had paid the ransom. So far Lot had no intention of paying, which meant that Cenred could stay in his cell for quite some time to come. Camelot was more or less back on its feet and Arthur, wanting to waste no more time. His wedding had been postponed twice before. He now wanted to see it through before anything came between them again. But now he wondered about the wisdom of that decision. Surely they could have waited for another few months, or a year or something.

'That's what it is,' he muttered. 'That's exactly what this is. Oh my goodness, I've made a bad decision.'

'What?!' Merlin's head swivelled in his direction, looking positively shocked. 'I didn't say it was a bad decision! I think it's only natural to be nervous in these situations.'

'Nervous?' Arthur echoed. He didn't get nervous, right?

The servant shrugged. 'I always get nervous when I make a decision. I start worrying about all the other options…'

'Hang on!' Some dots had just made a connection. 'Do you mean to say you've already _proposed_ to Morgana?'

Merlin's face turned a brighter red than Arthur's cloak.

And Arthur's jaw dropped. 'You have, haven't you?'

Merlin's eyes studied the ground with a devotion that was seldom seen on his face, which was all the confirmation Arthur needed.

'Please tell me she turned you down.' He wasn't sure if he could handle Merlin as his brother-in-law.

'She didn't,' Merlin informed him with his most happy smile.

'She said yes?!' Arthur fell straight back into the chair again.

Merlin's smile only widened. 'Only about a hundred times or so.'

Arthur groaned. If he knew Morgana and Merlin at all there was no changing their minds once they had made it up. In that respect at least they would be well matched. He knew deep down that he was happy for them, but knowing Morgana he would never hear the end of her complaints on how he had treated her husband-to-be for years. 'Does my father know?'

'He will, by now,' Merlin informed him, paling instantly. Arthur could imagine that.

Morgana had been very clever about it, that he had to admit. Uther had felt terribly sorry about all the fear Morgana had to go through when she had discovered she had magic. He now felt he had to make it up to her and Morgana, sensing an opportunity, had told him that as long as she would get free choice of her husband, she would not hold it against him. Uther hadn't known how fast he could agree to her demands.

'I'll give it to you,' Arthur muttered. 'You're going to have your hands full on her. She can be quite a character. I should know. I grew up with her.'

Merlin gave him a quizzical look. 'Are you actually giving your blessing?'

'I might be,' Arthur replied vaguely.

Merlin caught on immediately. 'As long as I don't tell Alina about your moment of doubt?' he guessed. 'Although I'm sure she already knows, since she's such an expert on your feelings and all.'

Uh oh. Too often he kept forgetting about that. The panic started to rise again. 'Oh no,' he moaned. 'What if she doesn't want me anymore?'

Merlin gave him the look that told him he had just said something extremely stupid. 'Why on earth would she ever think that?' he wondered out loud. 'She loves you, you clotpole.'

Somehow those words helped settling him, and his stomach, down. 'She does, doesn't she?'

'Course she does,' Merlin replied, shaking his head at Arthur's stupidity. 'Although I seriously wonder why she does. You're obviously not one of the brightest minds around here.' The last thing was said with a teasing smile.

'Merlin!' Said servant ducked quickly as Arthur threw a goblet at his head.

**Alina**

These nerves were practically killing her and it didn't help that the room was so crowded Alina had the feeling she hadn't enough breathing space. The room was filled with about all the women Alina knew: her mother, her sister, Gwen, Morgana and even Lynn had had the courage to show up. Alina knew the latter would stay in the background and mostly out of sight though. She was only here because Cathy had insisted. As far as Alina was concerned she wouldn't have invited her, but she wasn't going to turn her away either. After all, she owed her the life she had now.

'You nervous?' Cathy asked as Gwen did her hair.

Alina was very nervous, but she'd die before she would admit it, so instead she pulled a leaf out of Arthur's book. 'Will you just please shut up?'

Morgana grinned_. The offer still stands_, she informed the bride over the mind link.

Alina gave her a quizzical look, or in fact she gave the mirror the quizzical look because Gwen had told her specifically to sit very still. _What offer?_

_To slap her with the bouquet if she doesn't keep her mouth shut_, the young witch replied. _Don't you remember that talk we had the day Connor arrived?_

She remembered now, but everything that had happened before the invasion now felt like a completely different life to her. Those things had happened to another person, or at least that was what it felt like. So much had passed and none of them had come out of it unchanged. Morgana had become stronger, accepting who she was and what she wanted with her life. The same was more or less true for Merlin, although he looked happier than before, especially when he looked at Morgana. _Mergana indeed_. She knew the two had become a couple and she could not have been happier for them. Somehow, in this strange form of legend, they had been meant to be. The potential had always been there, she was convinced of that, and with Morgana back on the side of Camelot, it had become true.

Arthur had doubtlessly changed the most, she pondered. He had always been a leader, but that day at the round table, a king had been born. He was a ruler now in all but name, just, caring and strong. Fortunately all the while he was still Arthur who thought of his belly before anything else, who made jokes with Merlin and could still be as charming a prat as he had ever been. And she had fallen for him, reluctantly at first, but now she knew that this was where she belonged, where she was home.

_Feel free to do that anytime you like_, Alina told Morgana. I won't mind.

Morgana chuckled. _Are you sure?_

'You're doing it again!' Cathy complained, distracting Alina from the mental conversation.

'Doing what?' she asked, confused.

'Talking with your minds,' her younger sister clarified. 'It makes me feel left out.'

Morgana slapped her across the head with the bouquet, smirking. 'That might be the point of a mental conversation,' she told the girl. 'One thing's for sure, you are staying far away from my wedding.'

Alina suddenly forgot that she wasn't supposed to move and swivelled her head in Morgana's direction. 'What do you mean? Did Merlin propose?' A huge smile that was almost Merlinish split her face as she saw Morgana smile and blush. 'He did, didn't he? That's great news, Morgana!'

'I know,' she muttered. 'My father doesn't agree, though. I think he almost got a heart attack when I told him about it.'

Alina could all too easily imagine that. 'But he didn't really object, did he?'

'Not really. He tried to talk me out of it, though. Not that it worked.' She grinned, pleased with her own part in that. Even Alina had to admit that it had been a stroke of genius on her part. Uther could not possibly object anymore. 'But enough of my love life. It's your big day today. So, nervous?'

Alina smiled guiltily. 'A bride is supposed to be nervous, right? And Arthur's ten times worse. He's been driving me crazy all morning. Will you believe that he even had a full-blown panic attack?' She tried to say it as nonchalant as she could possibly manage, but Arthur's behaviour had her worrying for a while. What if he had second thoughts? Maybe he was afraid they were rushing into this. Maybe he was afraid to think of what it would really mean to be married to a sorceress. Alina guessed there was quite a big chance of their children inheriting her magical gifts. Wouldn't it be natural for any man to be a bit scared of that?

Morgana, of course, had heard what she hadn't said. _Merlin will set him right_, she assured the Court Sorceress. _Arthur would be a fool to turn you down now._

Alina's smile was not as sincere as she would have wished. _Well, he has never been known for his huge intelligence._

Morgana slapped her shoulder playfully. _Don't be such a fool as he often is. He is going to marry you, willingly, and you shouldn't be thinking he won't. I bet he's even eager to, although I doubt he'll admit that._

Alina frowned. _How would you know?_

The young witch shrugged. _I grew up with him. Believe me, by the end of the day you'll be properly married. _A mischievous smile graced her features. _And who knows what else will have happened by then._

Alina could see in the mirror that her face had taken on the colour of a ripe tomato. 'Morgana!' she exclaimed indignantly.

The smile widened. 'It is true.'

'Yes, I know, but…' Her cheeks were practically on fire.

'Don't worry, I don't want to see it.'

Alina made a mental note to have her mind shields up to make sure that nobody could get in. Not that she really believed Morgana would do such a thing, but just to be sure.

She had calmed down a bit now and the same seemed to be true for Arthur. But she couldn't help the nerves from returning as Connor and her father came to collect her. That Had been quite the conflict between them, the question of who would be allowed to give her away. Her father had argued that since he was her farther it was his right, but Connor had told him that technically this was still an arranged marriage and Alina, or at least the body she now inhabited, was still an Irish princess. That had not been well received, but Alina had been able to prevent a fight by telling her that in that case, they should both give her away.

'Nervous, my girl?' her father asked.

'A little,' she admitted. 'But I'll be fine.' And she knew that was the truth. As much as she feared this day, she also knew it would mark the moment she truly started to belong here. In a strange way it felt like going home and maybe that was exactly what this was.

The doors swung open and Alina got her first glimpse of the throne room, which was packed with people. But she could also see Arthur at the end of the aisle, looking every bit as nervous as she knew he felt. But there was also determination pulsing through their connection now and she knew Morgana had been right. He would not back out and neither had he ever really wanted to.

This was meant to be, she could feel it, and the very thought brought a smile to her face. In only a few minutes she would be Arthur Pendragon's wife. Who would have guessed that five years ago? Had someone then told her this would happen she would doubtlessly have called them either drunk or insane, and probably both.

Arthur's eyes locked with hers and he sent her a hesitant smile. _You look beautiful._

_So everyone keeps telling me_, she joked light-heartedly. _I guess there must be some truth in it. How are your nerves?_

The smile turned rather guilty. _You felt that?_

_It was a bit hard to miss. I thought I might have to call for Gaius actually_. Fortunately there was no sign of that panic remaining now.

Arthur looked at her as she came closer. _And you? Are you not having second thoughts? _She could swear he sounded a little uncertain just now. The fool. How on earth could he doubt her feelings?

_Well, as easily as you doubted his feelings for you, I suppose_, the voice in the back of her head spoke up. But she forced herself to ignore that annoying voice as she replied: _None whatsoever. _And it was the truth. She was ready. She guessed she had been before, but this time it was finally really happening.

She had trouble trying to determine who was smiling widest as Connor and her father laid her hands in Arthur's. Uther and Merlin were probably winners. Alina could not recall ever seeing the king smile so openly, so happy. It wasn't like him. Uther was the kind of man that was made to give everyone stern looks.

Geoffrey of Monmouth was telling them all why they had gathered here today in what Merlin called his "official voice". He looked like he had spent hours practising his little speech to make sure he didn't forget it at the time he had to speak it and therefore he managed to work his way through it without slipping up.

'Is it your wish, Arthur, to become one with this woman?' Geoffrey asked.

Arthur's grin widened. 'It is.'

The same question was then put before Alina. _It really feels like I'm watching the show, the words are so like it._ 'It is.' _But you knew that already, didn't you?_ she thought at Arthur.

The ceremony passed rather quickly. There were no nerves anymore, just a growing sense of belonging that intensified in tenfold as Geoffrey pronounced them husband and wife.

'Finally,' Arthur muttered, loud enough for her to hear, but too soft for any others to listen in.

She smiled. 'How right you are.'

She might have been putting in another joke, were it not that in that moment the crown prince of Camelot forgot all manners he had ever learned and just wrapped his arms around her and caught her lips in a kiss that she was certain would be called inappropriate by a certain Lord Harold this very moment. She found that she couldn't care. She smiled and kissed him back, cherishing the feel of the moment, knowing that there was nothing on earth that could separate them now. Protocol be damned. This was their moment and if she had anything to say about it, there would be many more to come.

Sometimes, she decided, destiny really wasn't that bad. Not at all.

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**Only an epilogue left now. Can't believe that it's almost finished. I'll try to upload it soon, but no promises, mind. Please review?**


	100. Chapter 100

**And here it is, the final chapter of this story, so without further ado, I give you the epilogue! Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 100**

**Epilogue**

**Ten years later**

**Alina**

Four children were lying on their stomachs at the royal garden's pond, two boys and two girls. There was a wooden toy boat on the water, sailing to all the corners as the children laughed. There was no wind, yet the boat moved as if there was. From where Alina was standing she couldn't actually see the golden flashing of their eyes as they used their still developing powers to send the small object to one another.

'Turon, that's not fair!' the dark-haired girl protested as the fair-haired boy created something of a tidal wave that soaked the girl.

'Your boy again, Alina?' a familiar voice spoke up from behind Alina. Morgana sat down on the grass next to Alina.

'Your girl seems to be more than capable of holding her own against him,' the queen remarked as Morgana's daughter gave Turon back as good as she got, soaking him and the rest of the kids in the process. 'Definitely your temper, that one.'

Morgana smirked. 'Well, someone needs to keep Arthur's son and heir in check. I swear Turon is just like Arthur when he was that age. Mind you, he has magic, which makes it all even worse.'

Alina chuckled. That realisation had certainly created some shocked nobles. Shortly after he was born Arthur had proudly presented the youngest Pendragon to the court, where said Pendragon immediately made a lasting impression by turning Lord Harold's hair purple. That would have been funny, had they known how to fix it. But it had taken Merlin and Morgana two solid days before finding a way to counter the spell. Lord Harold had most certainly lived up to his nickname then, strutting around the castle with bright purple hair, glaring at everyone who seemed to think that fact was extremely funny.

'I'll be having a word with him later,' Alina promised her friend. She knew she had trouble reprimanding her kids for anything, but it was one of those things that needed to be done every now and then. She was trying to get it into her kids heads that magic wasn't meant to play pranks on people, a fact she needed to remind Turon of a lot, it would seem. Arthur of course wasn't really helping. Given the chance he would spoil the boy rotten. He all but worshipped his kids, would probably ride to the mouth of hell for them.

'And I'll be telling Vivienne that revenge is not the way to solve her problems,' Morgana nodded.

There was definitely a deeper meaning behind those words, saying as much about the mother as it said about the daughter. 'That's very… wise,' she commented.

Morgana smirked again. 'That's me. Look, here they come.'

The children, all four of them came running at their mothers now.

'Mum, he soaked me!' Vivienne began. 'I did nothing and look at what he's done!' She may have inherited her father's blue eyes, but the glare she sent Turon's way was pure Morgana.

'You called me a dollophead!' Turon shot back.

Alina tried and failed not to laugh, but she was quick enough to disguise it as a coughing fit. Fortunately the children were not yet old enough to catch on to it. _You should probably be telling Merlin to keep his name-calling private, Morgana_, she thought at her best friend.

_Like you should tell your son that he shouldn't fly off the handle at a simple name-calling_, Morgana retorted.

_Fair enough_, she agreed. 'Turon, what have I told you about using magic for pranks?'

Turon at least had the decency to look a little ashamed of himself. 'That I shouldn't?'

'That's right.' Turon's expression reminded her ever so much of Arthur, but she wasn't going to let that sway her now. 'So, now you will apologise to Vivienne and then I want you to go inside, to your room, and stay there for the rest of the afternoon to think about what you have done.'

Turon's eyes widened. 'Mum!' he exclaimed.

'None of that, young man,' Alina told him sternly. 'This is non-negotiable. Now apologise.'

'Sorry,' the boy muttered, glancing at Vivienne's shoes and definitely not her face.

'Apology accepted,' Vivienne replied with the same amount of enthusiasm.

'To your room now, Turon,' Alina gently reminded him.

'Same goes for you, Vivienne,' Morgana told her daughter. 'You can't use your magic as a means of revenge. I do believe your father and I have told you about that, haven't we?'

The girl moved her feet uneasily. 'You might have.'

'Off you go.'

The two broke into a run. 'Race you to the castle!' Turon challenged his cousin.

'Eager to be beaten?' Vivienne shot back.

'By a girl? Never!'

The two ran away at neck-breaking speed, leaving the two mothers shaking their heads in mild amusement. Morgana directed her attention to the two remaining kids. 'Oh, look at you. Let me fix this.' She muttered a spell that dried their clothes instantly and then pulled her son onto her lap. 'Are you cold?'

Balinor tried to wriggle out of her arms, clearly thinking that at five years he was far too old to be snuggling up to his mother. 'Fine,' he muttered.

Alina's little girl had less reservations about the subject, positioning herself in the most comfortable position she could find before putting her thumb in her mouth and closing her eyes. She was asleep in less than a minute.

'Well, looks like little Lynn here has inherited her father's love of sleeping,' Morgana commented.

'Hey, no insulting my husband here,' Alina warned her, feigning anger. 'At least mine is not as clumsy as yours.'

Morgana's grin widened. 'At least mine is not a dollophead,' she countered.

Alina happily joined in the name-calling their husbands were so fond of doing. 'And mine is not an idiot.'

They laughed together, letting the sun warm their faces. Alina breathed in deeply and smiled. No one could have predicted that things would turn out the way they had in the end, but she was happy now. She had a wonderful husband, two great kids (most of the time) and the kingdom was at peace. What more could she wish for?

**Merlin**

There might have been something wrong with Alina's assessment about a kingdom at peace, because at that very same moment there were two persons who were most definitely not at peace. Merlin and Arthur found themselves in the council chambers staring at words and numbers on papers that they had no idea how to deal with.

'What on earth is this supposed to be?' Arthur demanded of the person on the other side of the table who was looking altogether too pleased with her own performance.

'This, oh mighty king, is a figure of the income and expenses of your kingdom,' Cathy announced. 'Took me a bloody month to get it all together,' she added under her breath.

Merlin had no problem whatsoever believing that statement. It was the content of this bookwork in front of him that he had a problem with, since he couldn't for the life of his figure out what it was supposed to mean. Once again, he regretted the day Gwaine had proposed to Alina's little sister. He hadn't even been drunk at the time. Merlin was still trying to decide whether that made things better or worse. In his opinion it certainly didn't make him think any better about Gwaine's intellect, or lack thereof.

Cathy had moved to Camelot after the completion of some kind of economic study back where she came from and was now official advisor of the king on economic matters, although Merlin suspected she wouldn't be that for very much longer, not if she kept looking like this.

'Could you by any chance translate this into a language we can all understand?' Arthur's voice had a hint of desperation to it.

The young woman snorted. 'This means that your finances are healthy,' she clarified, pointing at the papers. 'You're actually doing better than the government in the country where I come from. Not that you could do much worse,' she added as an afterthought.

Merlin smirked. 'I think that is actually the first time I hear you say we're doing something better than where you come from. Maybe we should tell Geoffrey to put it in the chronicles.'

That earned him a glare. 'You still suck at everything else,' she informed him.

'I bet,' Arthur muttered, before clearing his throat and continuing in a slightly louder voice: 'Very well, if that is all?' No one spoke. 'Council dismissed.'

The nobles began to leave and the king leaned over slightly towards the Court Sorcerer. 'Please tell me you didn't understand a word of what's written too.'

Merlin couldn't hide the smirk completely. 'Not the faintest idea, sire.'

That seemed to reassure Arthur. 'So, how did I do?' he asked briskly, but Merlin wasn't fooled. He had known his best friend for years now and could therefore easily tell when Arthur was uncertain about himself, again. But in this case he believed the uncertainty was justified. It was after all only five months since Arthur's coronation and while he had taken over more of his father's duties as the time passed, he hadn't been given full authority until after Uther's death.

Merlin had never liked the old king. There had been too much wrong that Uther had done for him to ever really like him. And the feeling had been mutual, especially after Uther learned Merlin had fallen in love with his precious daughter and had magic on top of that. But since the law on magic had been repealed and he had given Morgana free choice of husband, there wasn't much he could have done about it. In the end they had settled for tolerating one another. They were civil, but never truly friendly.

But Merlin could not deny the fact that Uther simply doted on his grandchildren, even though they had inherited their parents' magic. He had spent every free minute with them and they in turn loved him enormously. Both Vivienne and Balinor had been devastated when he had died. Well, at least it was a peaceful passing in his sleep, lots better than the death he could have died had Alina not intervened.

'It's fine, Arthur,' he reassured the king. That seemed to be a part of his official job description as Court Sorcerer. Now that Alina was queen, her job had been passed to Merlin and Morgana both, arguing that, with magic once again legal in Camelot, they would have their hands full on it. And they sure had, because the repeal of the ban on magic had not been well received amongst all the people. In hindsight, it shouldn't have come as a surprise. The people had been taught to fear and hate magic and those feelings had only been increased by the many magical attacks the kingdom had suffered over the years. A lot of people had been less than pleased with Arthur and for some time they had had a full-time job on calming citizens down, and locking up those who felt it necessary to get violent to land the message home.

But that was mostly behind them now. The kingdom was at peace, destiny fulfilled and Merlin was quite pleased to realise that he was happy. He had married Morgana several months after Arthur and Alina's wedding, once Uther had gotten some time to get used to the idea of it all. And then they had given him a heart attack all over again when they found out Morgana was expecting, two weeks _before_ the wedding. But, he had survived the famous Pendragon wrath (and the two days in the dungeons for doing something he wasn't supposed to do before the wedding) and now he could honestly say everything was all right.

Or maybe not everything. He could hear children's voices arguing as he accompanied Arthur down to the royal garden where he knew both their wives were hanging out.

'That's a lie, Turon!' Merlin could hear his daughter saying. And he knew that voice. Whenever Morgana spoke like that it was always best to run for cover. 'I did win! I was one step ahead of you all the time!'

'No, you weren't!' Arthur's son disagreed loudly. 'You just can't stand it that I am faster than you!'

'Well, I am older and therefore faster,' Vivienne replied disdainfully with unreasonable children's logic.

They came just around the corner at this point, right in time to see Turon's confused look, which was the very image of Arthur. 'What's _that_ got to do with anything?'

'Everything,' Vivienne responded. 'You're just too young to understand such things.' She marched away without giving her dad and uncle as much as a glance, leaving Turon to ponder the meaning of those words all by himself. It was only then that Merlin realised both kids were soaking wet. What on earth had they been up to this time?

Arthur dragged Merlin with him before they could burst out with laughter within the young prince's earshot.

'There's no question about who her mother is,' the king chuckled, a twinkle in his eyes. 'I do believe Morgana was exactly like that at that age.'

There was absolutely no arguing that. Vivienne did take after her mother a lot indeed. 'Well, don't get me even started on your offspring,' he grinned at the king. 'Every good trait they have seemed to have come from their mother.'

Arthur nudged him, not so gently. 'I'll have you know my children are very intelligent, _Mer_lin.'

The grin widened. 'Like I said.' He ducked as Arthur threw his half-eaten apple at the warlock's head.

'Oi!' the king protested.

'Well, you did tell me I should always speak the truth,' Merlin shrugged. He could truly enjoy the banter between them, one thing that had never faded with time. He hadn't been Arthur's manservant for years, which inevitably meant that there had been far less objects aimed at his head. Now they were practically brothers, as he felt it was always meant to be. Life was good indeed.

They found Morgana and Alina sitting on the grass, enjoying the early summer sun. Morgana had Balinor on her lap, but the boy immediately escaped as soon as his mother was distracted by the arrival of the men. Lynn, who had fallen asleep on Alina's lap, didn't stir as Arthur knelt down and stroked the girl's hair. That one was definitely her father's daughter when it came to sleeping habits.

'What was up with Turon and Vivienne?' Merlin wondered. 'We found them in the corridor, arguing,' he explained as Alina gave him a quizzical look. 'Both of them practically soaking.'

'They got into a water fight after your daughter called my son a dollophead,' Alina informed him. 'You haven't by any chance been teaching her those words, have you?'

Merlin tried and failed not to smirk. 'Not deliberately.'

That got a laugh from the other three. Merlin sat down next to Morgana and slipped an arm around her waist, simply enjoying the moment. Morgana rested her head against his shoulder and smiled.

Arthur groaned. 'Do you _have_ to be so lovey-dovey in public all the time?' he complained.

'You're one to talk,' Merlin shot back, giving a meaningful look at the king who was holding his wife and daughter in a similar fashion. 'At least we're not kissing all the time in public, like the two of you.'

'And we're not in public,' Morgana put in. 'So shut up and enjoy the moment, will you?'

'Hey, that's my line!' the king protested.

Morgana sighed, irritated a bit. 'Arthur?'

'Yes?'

'Shut up.'

And so the king did as the queen pressed her lips against his, effectively preventing him from uttering another word.

_,,I want a simple love like that_

_Always giving, never asking back_

_And when I'm in my final hour looking back_

_I hope I've had a simple love like that."_

**Órla Fallon, Simple Love**

**THE END**

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**It's finished. This story is finished (I'm still trying to wrap my head around that fact myself)! 564 pages in Word, Times new roman, 12. Almost eight months of hard work and now it is done. **

**So, I guess here is the part where I say THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed, favourite and alerted. You guys have been absolutely amazing and you took to the story better than I could have hoped. Some of you have even missed sleep over this. I wasn't sure about my writing when I started, but you lot have definitely helped with my self-esteem (and boosting my ego). Again, thanks so very much. Your support has meant the world, and it still does.**

**Now, I have been getting quite some requests for a sequel and I'm happy to tell you that there is going to be one. You might need to have a little patience, but it's coming, so keep an eye out for it.  
**

**I am finished with this story, but I'll definitely keep writing (it's too much fun). I do have a few Merlin one-shots in mind. And of course I'm going to spend some time on Just Another Normal Day (you're welcome to check it out), which I have seriously neglected these last few weeks. **

**Anyway, thanks for all the support! Would it be too much to ask to review one last time?**


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